Published at 12:57, Thursday, 26 November 2009

TODAY’s the day for Raiders’ chief Des Johnston is admitted to hospital for his quadruple heart bypass operation.

The Mail wishes him well and a speedy recovery from the five and half hour surgery.

Mr Johnston has done wonders for Barrow rugby club and it’s to be hoped Blackpool Victoria’s surgeons will serve him as well as he has served the club during his two year tenure as chairman.

It’s almost 50 years since the first coronary artery bypass surgery was performed in the United States on May 2, 1960.

Almost half a century after those pioneering first days the technique has been refined and developed to the present time.

Consequently the risks have been minimised while the benefits are, quite literally life-saving and life-changing for the better.

Approaching the operation with his usual bluff good humour, Mr Johnston was his old self and was still a rich source of the sound bite.

Asked on if he was worried at all by the thought of more than five hours on the operating table, he countered; “I hope it doesn’t take as long the Dalton bypass.”

A well-known betting man, Mr Johnston has no doubt had a few quid on himself with the big man upstairs that he makes a complete recovery.

And, giving his record, there’s no doubt the celestial bookies will be making Mr Johnston favourite to make a full and speedy recovery.

In his own words we can look forward to, “Des’s life part two.”

We do and we’ll bet it’s for many years to come.

Published by http://www.nwemail.co.uk