PRESIDENT Brian Ireland had great pleasure in initiating Tom Ashton as our newest – and forty-second – member of our Club at our meeting on 11 August. Following news of other members, Bob Young offered advice about wills and powers of attorney, and Clive Allen provided feedback from last week’s committee meeting.

Our speaker this week described his experience of surgery for lung cancer. His GP had arranged for a variety of tests, X-rays and scans, as a result of which a “hot spot” was detected in his right lung.

This “hot spot” was strongly suspected to be cancerous and it was agreed that an operation by keyhole surgery (known technically as Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery – or VATs) to remove the lower lobe should be performed at Heartlands Hospital in Birmingham.

Despite some complications, the operation was successful and he went home some nine days later. However, about a fortnight later he became very ill, and was admitted to the Medical Decisions Unit at Worcestershire Royal Hospital. Following treatment he was allowed home 10 days later.

He has now recovered sufficiently well to be able to walk normally, to swim and cycle.

He paid tribute to the NHS generally, and specifically thanked his GP Dr David Farmer, his Cardiothoracic Surgeon Professor Babu Naidu, and the entire medical and support staff at Heartlands, Worcestershire and Evesham hospitals. He also thanked his family and all his friends for their help and support.

Following a number of questions and comments, Cliff Blackborrow proposed the vote of thanks and commented that our speaker actually looked remarkably well.

On 18 August, Howard Robinson will speak about hoaxes in science followed on 25 August with our own version of Question Time.

CHRIS DONOUGH