CARLISLE United boss Chris Beech has spoken about his admiration for everyone who works for the NHS during the coronavirus lockdown.

His 17-year-old son, Brandon, has a rare form of cystic fibrosis, a genetic disorder which primarily affects the lungs.

In an interview with the United website (www.carlisleunited.co.uk), Beech revealed that due to his son’s condition, his family is used to a ‘lockdown’ situation.

“I’ve had a heck of a lot of experience with this kind of thing because of my son Brandon, and what he’s been through with his cystic fibrosis treatments over the years,” said Beech.

“I’ve seen first-hand when and how the medical specialists escalate things, and how quickly that sometimes kicks in, because they don’t take any unnecessary risks at all.

“I think we’re all now seeing that the best advice is coming from the medical experts, and it’s wonderful for us to see the amount of pride the country has for its NHS workers and staff, because that’s something we’ve had as a family for so many years now.

“They really do know what they’re doing, and they do it so well. That’s not just the doctors and nurses on the frontline, who deserve every accolade they get by the way, because there are so many layers behind them that make the whole thing work so well.

“You’ve got carers, home carers, porters, hospital cleaners, admin staff, drivers, ambulance drivers, logistical folk. Beyond that, at the moment, we have the police, the military, people in shops, delivery people, gas and electric people – the list really is endless – of people who are now part of one big machine that’s doing its best to keep us all going. We should be proud of that, and so should they.”

Looking back to when Brandon was first diagnosed, he said: “It was frightening, I don’t mind admitting that. He was my little boy, he still is, though he won’t like me saying that now he’s 17, and no parent wants their child to face any kind of challenge like that.

“We lived in Chorley, and initially I had to stay for two weeks out of every three months in Preston Royal Infirmary with him, on a treatment cycle. He needed IVs to help with his lung function, because it drops quite significantly at times, and that meant living in the hospital while he got that.”

He added: “I have to thank the NHS and every key worker once again. They just keep doing shift after shift, long hours, and it’s second nature for them to go above and beyond as they help people. That’s their normal work anyway, but it’s even more the case now.”

Cystic Fibrosis is a genetic disorder that affects mostly the lungs, but also the pancreas, liver, kidneys, and intestine. Long-term issues include difficulty breathing and coughing up mucus.