My thanks to helpful, caring staff on wards

HAVING had the good fortune of enjoying full health for 77 years, I was diagnosed with prostate cancer in February.

My excellent GP (I will write to him privately) referred me to Leicester hospitals when he saw the results of my blood test. I was quickly under the guidance of the Department of Urology at the Leicester General Hospital led by Professor Mellon and scanning and a biopsy soon took place giving me some experience of all three of the major hospitals.

My anxiety and uncertainty about treatment for serious illness were rapidly calmed by the quality of care from all who dealt with me. That same level of care was repeated as I

underwent surgery in an operating theatre for the first time. In due course, my treatment continued at the infirmary in the oncology suite under the direction of Dr Vasanthan and there I had seven weeks of radiotherapy. As before, I encountered friendly, helpful and caring people at all levels and I would like to express my sincere thanks for their professionalism and dedication.

Like many people, I will need to have some further treatment, elsewhere perhaps, but I shall remember with gratitude the fine people of those departments.

Don Wright, Hinckley

civilians who have made sacrifices in wars. We should also remember the millions of non-humans who have been killed or injured and who are still suffering in the name of war.

Most people are familiar with the estimated eight million horses and countless mules and donkeys who died in the Great War, but many other animals are used in wars.

In both world wars puppies were trained to feed next to or inside tanks. They were then starved, loaded with explosives and sent into combat zones. As they approached enemy tanks looking for food the explosives were detonated from a distance.

Messenger pigeons maintained lines of communication in First World War battlefields. In 1914, 2,500 were burned alive rather than risk them being captured by the

enemy. Known as “The Great Cat and Dog Massacre”, between 400,000 and 750,000 pets were destroyed by a panicked public. This was as a result of an official information campaign which concluded “it really is the kindest thing to do”.

In order to measure the impact of detonation on living flesh, the Bikini Atoll tests used 3,030 rats, 176 goats, 147 pigs, 109 mice and 57 guinea pigs.

Monkeys, dolphins, whales and pigs are among the many species used in cruel, secretive weapons research. Even in times of peace animals suffer in the name of war. They are truly innocent victims.

Elizabeth Allison, Aylestone

ON behalf of my mother-in-law (Mary) I would like to express her

sincere thanks to the three ladies (Maureen, Sally Ann and one other whose name I cannot recall) for their immediate assistance and care when she collapsed at the bus stop in Wigston on Friday, October 19.

While waiting an hour for the ambulance they provided comfort and care to Mary.

Also, Sally Ann’s husband went to Wigston police station to collect a defibrillator in case of need, but fortunately it was not and they kindly returned it as well.

Mary would like to thank those ladies personally so if they could call the numbers they used on the day to contact myself and Marcella we will be able to arrange this.

She spent a few days in hospital and she also wants to thank the NHS staff for the care received.

Name and address supplied