PLEASE let me and my family offer your Health Editor Barry Nelson our heartfelt and ever grateful thanks for his unswerving support and coverage for my wife Kathleen's campaign plight to receive the cancer drug Sutent on the NHS.

As the Echo reported yesterday, the County Durham Primary Care Trust has now said it will fund the drug needed to help give Kathleen more time to enjoy a continued fairly normal life for as long as the drug is effective.

Could we thank also Ferryhill Labour Councillor Brian Avery, the Chilton Labour councillors and parish councillors, Dr Nick Wadd of James Cook Hospital in Middlesbrough, Mr Ian Pedley at Newcastle Royal Victoria Infirmary and our GP, Dr Peter Merson.

We'd also like to thank our family, relatives and friends, readers of The Northern Echo, Rose Woodward of the Kidney Cancer Patients Support Group and the late Mark Franklin.

Special thanks to Kathleen's wonderful anonymous benefactors, online petitioners, and everybody for their kindness and caring affection - not forgetting Peter Barron, the editor, for allowing coverage of Kathleen's plight.

Ray and Kathleen Devonport, Chilton, Co Durham.