SIR – After reading in the T&A on Monday, December 16, about Professor David Sharpe retiring, I felt I wanted to wish him a long and happy retirement.

Professor Sharpe and I go back almost 20 years when I had cancer and he gave me the bad news that I had about three months to live.

One of his crew decided to do a complete operation instead of a biopsy and removed the whole cancer, which saved my life.

About four years ago I had reason to see Professor Sharpe again to have a non-malignant growth removed. He did the operation himself at his clinic. He realised he knew me and asked me to refresh his memory, which I did.

He was really amazed to see me after all those years as I had refused chemotherapy and radiotherapy Not only is he an excellent surgeon, he is also a very nice, caring man.

What he did for the people of Bradford after the City fire, all the people he helped, I thought then he should have been knighted. I still do.

Mrs R Rushworth, Knoll Park Drive, Baildon