Surgeon heroes

YOUR front-page report, “You might be a brilliant surgeon, but you are an inadequate human being”, quoting what poet Liz Lochhead told her dying husband’s cancer doctor, (23 November) was most disappointing.

It takes a special type of human to be a pancreatic surgeon. The diseases are appallingly difficult to treat successfully. Pancreatic surgeons are all too aware of the nature of the disease they battle. The surgery they perform is at the most demanding of the end of the spectrum technically, and it is very challenging to get desperately sick patients through it. It is neither glamorous nor showy.

Thank goodness that there are dedicated heroic people prepared to take on this work, however depressing and exhausting at times, so that a chance of survival is kept alive for the select few.

Dr Mhairi Collie

Polton Road

Lasswade