WE would like to put on record our sincere and heartfelt thanks to all the doctors and nurses at Furness General, Preston and Lancaster hospitals who have looked after us and helped enrich our lives over the past five-and-a-half years.

We are eternally grateful for all the expert medical care and attention Jo has received after falling seriously ill in 2010.

Our world fell apart and our lives changed forever at the time of diagnosis.

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But even then, in those initial moments of shock, disbelief and devastation, the professionalism and caring attitude of staff at FGH shone through and made the awful situation easier to cope with.

And thanks to the fantastic dedication and expertise of doctors and nurses at Furness General Hospital, and also Royal Preston Hospital, where Jo underwent a successful operation, we were able to enjoy a very memorable and active period of our lives.

During those five-and-a-half years we have been on many adventures throughout the UK and across the globe.

We’ve climbed many of Britain’s highest mountains, including more than 50 of the Lake District Wainwrights; toured Northern Spain, the Scottish Highlands and many other beautiful places in our camper van with our Patterdale terrier Meg; experienced the adrenaline rush of jet-skiing in Cyprus and snowmobiling to the jaw-dropping Great Divide in Colorado; and enjoyed sun-soaked holidays in New York and Spain, plus countless camping trips, gigs and festivals with friends.

Many of these incredible experiences would not have been possible without the fantastic medical care and support Jo has received from the NHS.

And, over the last few weeks and months, when Jo has fallen ill again, this expert care has once again been evident at FGH and Lancaster Royal Infirmary, and from the fantastic district nursing, Hospice at Home and Macmillan teams.

We are also very lucky to have a great support network of family and friends, plus work colleagues and the Newbarns Village community, who have also helped.

The NHS gets a bad press from time to time, but we can only count on our own personal experience, and the service, care and attention we have received since January 2010 to this day has been nothing short of amazing.

Our thanks go to all the hospital doctors and nurses who have played their part – there are far too many to mention – plus the district nursing, hospice at home and Macmillan teams who have looked after Jo at home.

Thank you from the bottom of our hearts. You are all heroes to us.

There is little we can do in return apart from put on record our thanks through this letter of gratitude, and the promise that we will endeavour to raise as much money as possible for the FGH oncology unit and St Mary’s Hospice, plus the Eve Appeal women’s cancer charity.

Details of how to donate will be published in the Mail very shortly.

Yours sincerely

JO and MATT DAVIES

Newbarns Village

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