Despite taking “every possible precaution”, a weakened immune system from a Non-Hodgkin lymphoma diagnosis – for which she is in remission – left her particularly vulnerable to the virus.

“Although I had fantastic treatment and started straight away on anti-virals and steroids, I was getting sicker and sicker, and eventually after three weeks with COVID-19 I said, ‘I’m really not well at all’, and was admitted to Flinders for 16 days,” Susan recalls.

With her lungs full of COVID-19 pneumonitis, and requiring 100 per cent oxygen at times, Susan was cared for across the ICU and Respiratory Ward while she continued to test positive for a total of five weeks.

“They saved my life,” Susan says of the staff at Flinders. “I know how busy they all are, but I never felt like they were racing to get to the next patient…they always gave me considered and thoughtful answers and were honest with me about what was happening.”

With Susan still recovering, she and husband Hugh unfortunately had to cancel a holiday to New Zealand. But the pair generously chose to donate their cancellation refund to help the ICU support more patients like Susan in future.

“They were so very important to me during this time, and I’ll be forever grateful,” Susan says.

Susan is now continuing her recovery with the help of Flinders’ Pulmonary Rehabilitation Clinic, where she attends exercise and breathing classes to help rebuild her strength and endurance.