Valerie Henwood - Horder Healthcare

Keen walker Valerie Henwood has been given a new lease of life following a double bunion operation at The Horder Centre.

Valerie, 55, had suffered for about 10 years from painful bunions that had forced her to give up playing netball and eventually meant she was unable to take part in a fitness test that was part of her job as a serving police officer.

Valerie, who has since retired from the police force, said: “It was when I couldn’t do the fitness test that I decided to try again for an operation. I had been refused twice but on my third attempt I asked my GP to refer me to The Horder Centre that had been recommended to me.”

Valerie, who lives in Lancing, West Sussex, saw surgeon Andrew Skyrme at The Horder Centre who agreed she needed an operation and a date was soon sorted. Just six months after her operation, Valerie was able to complete the fitness test at work.

“Not only that, but I was also able to complete a dream of mine which until the operation was not possible. In May this year, I finished walking the South Downs Way. This was a 100 mile journey that I walked over 10 successive days. Before my operation, I was unable to walk more than three miles at any one time.”

Valerie added: “All the staff at The Horder Centre were so helpful. It was great that someone actually took notice and realised what a negative impact the bunions were having on me. The operation has given me a new lease of life. In addition to walking again, I am now cycling too.”

Do you need bunion surgery?

The most common cause of bunions is footwear that does not have enough width to fit the toes in their natural position. Bunions are occasionally associated with arthritis of the joint at the base of the big toe.