As Covid hospitalisations have soared 17% over the past week, marking the largest spike since the start of summer, many are fearing another wave on the horizon. Experts in the field have stated that the hospitalisation numbers signify a worrying trend of more Brits ending up in intensive care this winter. Telling his own story about being hospitalised for the virus, Darren Buttrick, one of the first Covid patients admitted to intensive care and survive in the UK, is now the NHS’s most prolific Covid plasma donor. He’s penned his story with StoryTerrace, the UK’s leading biography service, in the hopes of helping others by sharing how his experience in critical care has shifted his outlook.
The positive effect of recording and recounting our experiences has been well-documented. In fact, in some cases, journaling is “prescribed” to reduce post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms or to help people suffering from depression and anxiety. Rutger Bruining, the CEO and Founder of StoryTerrace, has seen how thousands of people have positively transformed their mental wellbeing by penning their life story and takes pride in highlighting how, through the memoir-writing process, they’ve gained a new viewpoint on the trajectory of their life.
In Darren Buttrick’s moving memoir, 15 Minutes and Counting: Never Stop Fighting, he describes being rushed to the hospital in an ambulance three days after being diagnosed with Covid, being instructed that he had 15 minutes to call his family and let them know he would be placed in an induced coma with a 50% chance of survival. Being one of the first admitted to intensive care with Covid in March 2020, Darren perceived these 15 minutes to be the last he would ever get to share with his loved ones.
Darren didn’t expect to come out of that coma, however after ten days, with the help of what he describes as ‘second to none care’ from the nurses at New Cross Hospital, he was discharged. He describes how this unexpected traumatic experience shifted his perspective on his life, driving him to do more for the community. “Since contracting Covid-19, fighting for my life, and winning that fight my perspective on life has changed. I have found a purpose in giving back.”
After his recovery, the NHS Blood and Transplant Service asked him to donate his high antibody blood plasma, in the hope of saving others struggling to develop their immune response. Today, Darren has donated to 48 Covid patients and has been given a certificate from the NHS thanking him and naming him the country’s ‘most prolific convalescent plasma donor.’
Deciding to write a memoir as an ode to the traumatic experience that led him to his newfound philanthropic purpose, Darren enlisted the help of StoryTerrace, describing the process as a means of catharsis for him. “At times it was challenging, at times I needed a short break to wipe my eyes, but I am so glad I did it. It was cathartic and coming out the end of the process has helped me continue to deal with the challenges of fighting and surviving Covid-19. I was always told to write a book, and it’s something many of us put off, but the time was right. I wanted to make sure my story was told, I left a legacy and I helped raised funds for charity.”
The act of having his story penned allowed him to process complex emotions stemming from his time in intensive care and gave Darren an outlet to look back on how far he’s come. He stated, “I am immensely proud of what I have achieved through StoryTerrace. Everyone said I should write a book and I am so pleased I have done it. That sense of giving back and helping raise money for the people and hospital that saved my life gave me so much pride.”
Recommending the service to others who’ve struggled with their mental health or have been through experiences they find difficult to talk about, Darren highlights how documenting the trauma helps give a newfound perspective to the past, while opening the doors for a new future. “At times it was hard re-living the experience, but the journey from talking it through, to taking breaks when needed, to actually reading the draft and finally seeing the book in the flesh, gave me the best feeling in the world.”
Rutger Bruining, Founder and CEO of StoryTerrace, comments on the power of the written word and the benefits of sharing one’s experiences:
“Sharing experiences has always been a powerful tool of expression and preservation. Now we know as research suggests, it also is also extremely beneficial for our mental health and represents a beacon of hope for others going through similar circumstances. When we take a step back and consider the value of sharing and telling our stories, we see only benefits to the individual, their family, friends, loved ones and even members of the public who can relate to a similar experience.
“There is power in the written word, and I am honoured to work at a company where over amazing ghostwriters get the chance to enjoy their love of writing and curate relationships with clients where they feel listened to and appreciated. The magic of books – is that they are there forever. The legacy is literally preserved in an art form to be cherished and passed down.”
