Professor John Bell

Rachel and Alice talk to Professor John Bell, Regius professor of Medicine at Oxford University. His first memory, he says, was looking up and seeing “a load of guys with white coats around me”. He’d contracted polio and his father, had also caught the disease and was critically ill in the same hospital. “People forget about polio,” he says, but Professor Bell never did, always concerned that another disease may sweep across the world. Now, more than 70 years later, he is known for helping secure a covid vaccine and advising the government on how to lead Britain out of the pandemic. His research teams are also on the brink of major breakthroughs in the fight against cancer. Links for additional support (also on Past Imperfect podcast pages)Polio information and support Polio - Eradication, Vaccination, & Access | Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Polio Survivors Network – Lives lived with healthcare lessons for the futureCancer Supporthttps://www.cancerresearchuk.org/   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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How do those often facing the hardest beginnings in life become so successful? Alice Thomson and Rachel Sylvester talk to extraordinary people living astonishing lives to learn from those who excel in sport, politics, the arts, business and more, despite real adversity. We hear their secrets and their inspirations, and learn how you too can thrive after life’s setbacks. Thoughtful, revealing and inspirational, follow the podcast now and never miss an episode. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.