"Mr Ramsden - thank you, you've given me my life back."

I can't begin to tell you what a difference meeting Mr Ramsden has made to me, my husband, my family and all our lives. I don't want to sound melodramatic, but it really is the truth.

I had been living with an embarrassing gynae problem for almost 6 years when I first met Mr Ramsden (on Valentine's day this year funnily enough!) and everything was falling apart - my insides, my confidence, my marriage and both my mental and physical health.

A couple of years ago I tried to address this problem with a referal to a consultant in Chesterfield who shall remain nameless. Not to put too fine a point on it, this man was rude and arrogant and all but told me I was imagining things. He begrudgingly offered to operate to cure my stress incontinence without even examining me. I couldn't make him understand that the stress incontinence was really only a minor inconvenience and only part of the problem. After all what did I know? It's only my body and his registrar had already examined me, what more did I want? I left his office in tears, booked in for an op I knew wouldn't go half way to sorting me out and more depressed than before. A few days later I cancelled it and resigned myself to just plodding on.

After 2 more difficult years during which my husband and I were growing further apart due to my worsening depression, I was eventually persuaded to pluck up courage and start all over again.

This time I was referred to see Mr Ramsden at Rotherham District General.

I went in prepared to fight my corner, expecting to meet the same sort of arrogant attitude I had encountered in Chesterfield. How wrong could I be. I cried again when I left the appointment, but this time it was tears of sheer relief. Mr Ramsden had not only examined me, he'd listened to every word I said. And he really understood. He also reassured me I'd made the right decision regarding the Chesterfield op- I hadn't been imagining things after all! He was down to earth and to the point and actually cared. What a difference! He told me it was going to be a bit of a long haul and pretty painful. He also made sure I understood exactly what he was going to do and why.

I had my operation on 13th May. It has been painful, just like he said, but boy has it been worth it. I went for my final check up today and was so disappointed not to see Mr Ramsden in person. I just wanted to tell him and everyone else what a transformation he has made. Up until a few years ago I was happy, busy, full of life, and dancing, acting and performing were my life. My problems affected my confidence so much that I have hardly done any theatre for years and the outgoing tigger my husband married had all but vanished. 10 weeks on, I'm in rehearsals for the 1st of 4 shows I'll be performing in over the next 8 months, am going back to my beloved dance classes in september, my husband has his wife back and I'm really enjoying being a mum, running round playing with my kids etc.

There's still some way to go - just like Mr Ramsden said things are still a little tender and I've got 2 stone to shift, put on through comfort eating over the last few years, but I have the strength to tackle it now and comfort eating is a thing of the past.

Mr Ramsden deserves more than a medal in my view. He is what the medical profession needs more of - not just a professional and incredibly skilled surgeon (though he is both of those) but human and caring and above all a person who takes the time to listen and understand.

I really can't thank him and his team (all the nurses on B11 were great and Jill Green deserves a special mention for her kindness and reassurance) enough for what they have done for me.

I hope that in the impersonal world we live in, this heartfelt message of very personal thanks will get through to the man who made all the difference.

Yours gratefully.