Lifelong Friends in a Joint Operation
Two lifelong friends from Macroom, Co. Cork, have shared how treatment at Kingsbridge Private Hospital in Belfast helped restore their independence and quality of life after years of pain and limited mobility.
Nora Burke and Martina O’Riordan travelled together to Belfast in 2025 to undergo orthopaedic surgery with Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon Mr Laurence Cusick after facing long waiting lists in the public system in Ireland.
Nora, who had been living with severe arthritis in both hips, spent nine months on crutches before deciding to seek private treatment.
“I was in constant pain and knew I couldn’t wait years for surgery,” Nora explained. “Once I heard about Kingsbridge Private Hospital from people locally, I decided to go for it.”
Nora underwent two successful hip replacements in July and October 2025 and accessed treatment through the Northern Ireland Planned Healthcare Scheme (NIPHS), receiving reimbursement through the HSE.
“The care was incredible. The staff were so attentive and the whole experience was fantastic. I noticed an improvement straight away,” she said.
Travelling alongside Nora was her lifelong friend Martina O’Riordan, 75, a retired shop owner originally from London who moved to Cork as a teenager, where the pair first met.
Despite always leading an active lifestyle, Martina’s worsening knee pain began to severely impact her mobility and confidence after experiencing several falls.
“Living alone, I started to worry about losing my independence,” Martina said. “My daughter in London was very concerned.”
After attending an information session in Bandon and meeting Mr Cusick, Martina decided to proceed with surgery at Kingsbridge Private Hospital. In July 2025, she underwent a successful left knee replacement on the same day as Nora’s surgery.
“The staff were incredible,” Martina recalled. “They brought Nora to see me after my operation so we could have tea and biscuits together. We were in different departments, but they made sure we were together. That meant so much.”
Following surgery, both women experienced significant improvements in their mobility and quality of life.
Within weeks, Martina was travelling independently to London and regained the confidence to drive again. Today, she enjoys yoga and aqua exercise and has returned to an active lifestyle.
“I have my independence back,” she said. “There’s no pain and no fear – it’s completely changed my life.”
Now fully recovered, Nora is encouraging others facing similar challenges to explore their options.
“I have total freedom again,” she said. “My advice to anyone in the same position is simple – go to Belfast.”
Laurence Cusick, Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon at Kingsbridge Private Hospital in Belfast, sees 1,500 patients from the Republic each year, including O’Riordan and Burke last year. “Patients come to me with knee and hip pain that they’ve generally had for months or years. Some have been on a waiting list to be seen in the South for 18 months up to three years-plus.”
Cusick reassures patients that they do not need to have been on a waiting list to be treated at Kingsbridge. “Essentially, you just need to be seen by your GP. You tell your GP you’ve a problem with your knee or hip and ask to be referred up to Northern Ireland.”
He says patients’ first question is when they can get it done. “And it’s generally within six weeks, sometimes between two and three. They’re absolutely relieved to be finally getting the surgery they require.”
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Learn more about the NI Planned Healthcare Scheme (NIPHS) and how you could access treatment faster at kingsbridgeprivatehospital.ie/crossborder