Although in her 90s she had enjoyed excellent health for most of her life and what at first looked to be a short stay turned into weeks; and finally it became obvious there would be no happy return home.

That would only be possible if we accepted the fact that mum would need specialist cancer care around the clock, which worried us as to how we could man the hours in-between nursing visits while trying to match the care already in place, an impossible task.

This was discussed at length with doctors and nurses in Mulberry, where we put our concerns as to not being able to provide the same level of support mum deserved and was already receiving in Mulberry Ward.
Hospital staff understood our concerns and agreed that mum could stay where she was – such a relief for us.

The empathy, care and gentle support received was a joy to behold, including catering staff and tea ladies, all willingly given with genuine warmth and with such loving attention to every detail that you would have been forgiven for thinking this was their own mother.
We cannot emphasise enough how important the Horton is to Banbury.

If we'd needed to travel to Oxford everyday it would have been so much more stressful for all concerned and we so wanted to be with mum when the inevitable moment arrived.

We were there and will be forever grateful.

What a wonderful place, with wonderful staff, and we must all do whatever we can to keep these facilities open and to ensure that the people of Banbury can retain their trust in their local Trust.
The very grateful family of our mum, the late Ruby (Nana) Rhind.

Keith Rhind
Grange Road
Banbury

WHILE sitting in the garden during a visit to my daughter in Bodicote, I passed out for no apparent reason.

My grandson noticed and fetched his mother, who phoned for an ambulance.

This arrived in four minutes and after a brief examination the two ambulancemen decided to take me to the emergency department of the Horton General Hospital, where I had a very thorough physical with many checks and after four hours I was able to return home.

All the NHS people I met were really most kind and caring besides being professional experts, making it a pleasure to go to hospital.

I am very grateful for their treatment and hope that all patients and the general public in Banburyshire appreciate the tremendous contribution made by these hospital staff to the welfare of all here.

BN Fox
High Wycombe

To keep the Horton open, ideas you all need, might I make a suggestion, might again I plead.

To have a dialysis unit, in Banbury it would be, a great help to patients, including my husband you see.
A unit in Banbury they said, there isn't a need, what a silly thing to say, what a notion indeed!

All the surrounding areas, they haven't given a thought, there are also patients they haven't even sought.

So buck up your ideas and give us what we need, to keep the Horton open, is what we really plead.

Miranda Berry
Kenilworth Way
Banbury