Thanks, mum, for giving me a second gift of life ...

0 Comments | Sunday Mirror, Dec 7, 1997

pounds 100 My best Christmas present will be a new kidney. I am 22 years old, have had kidney failure and 25 operations since I was two years old, and have been on dialysis for 14 months. My mum is giving me one of her kidneys in a transplant operation and next Christmas will be fantastic because we will both hopefully be on our way to recovery.

I am at university training to be a teacher and having to go on dialysis every night for 12 hours is a struggle, but my mum helps immensely and I would not be where I am today if it was not for her. I could never thank her enough for giving me one of her kidneys - and a new life. My mum is the best, and I just want to say a big "Thank you" and Happy Christmas to everyone. - Claire Staffird, via e-mail.

Christmas truly IS a new chance, Claire. Enjoy the new life!

pounds 5When I was six my father - who was out of work - begged a large, unwanted pram, and cleaned and painted it. I proudly used to take my old Golly for walks in it. On Christmas Day father returned from visiting mother in hospital and told me that when patients were asked what gift they wanted from the ward Christmas tree, my mother had asked for the "doll in the crib". "Lo and behold," said father, "when they got it down it was a baby sister!"

I believed this story for many years, and baby Mary replaced Golly in my pram until she was too big. This year my own Christmas tree fairy will be 70 years old and, as always, I remember and relive that Christmas of 1927. - Mrs E. Fletcher, Skelmersdale, Lancs.

So THAT'S how you got a new 'branch' of the family, Mrs F!

pounds 5My best Christmas gift is putting my feet up, watching a bit of television. I'd like to go to the pub with my mates, but I can't. We're firemen and will be working that day. The best Christmas gift your readers could give us is not to need us. It's not very nice sharing someone else's misery especially at Christmas, so take care. - Antony Clough, Garforth, Leeds. Nowt personal, Tony, but you're the LAST thing I want in my sock!

pounds 5I have reached my Seventies, am reasonably fit with all my marbles, swim twice a week and walk a lot. As a child I was fed on a very unhealthy diet by today's standards - mutton stew with suet dumplings, roly-poly pudding, tripe and onions, and bread and beef dripping. My intake of animal fat was high.

Do you think today's young generation, considering their fast food diet, will have constitutions like the oldies? - Mrs D. Molineaux, Barking, Essex.

Strewth, Mrs M! You'll be telling us next you actually WALKED to school and didn't have a telly!

pounds 5As the father of a much loved 13-year-old daughter, I was horrified to read last week that children will die this Christmas because the NSPCC is facing a cash crisis. The Government must give this problem priority and make available the necessary cash.

We must never allow budgets to determine whether or not these weak and defenceless youngsters at risk get help and support immediately.

Please give my fiver to the Sunday Mirror/NSPCC Appeal. - Prisoner, HMP Norwich.

Thanks, sir. Send contributions to the appeal at NSPCC, 422 Curtain Road, London EC2A 3MH.

pounds 5So Robert Earl, head of the Planet Hollywood chain, has given a million pounds to the Labour Party and thinks they are doing a marvellous job.

If he's so flush perhaps he'd like to pay my mortgage which has gone up five times since Labour came to power - because I won't be able to afford to pay it much longer! - Mrs S. Walton, Chudleigh, Devon.

At least SOMEONE gives a burger, love!

pounds 5Isn't it time Minister Without Portfolio Peter Mandelson's title reflected his real role - Minister Without Principle? - Paul Walter, Newbury, Berks.

How about Minister Without Popularity? Or Dome Secretary?

pounds 5The quality of BBC programmes is getting worse, especially at weekends. Why, then, must we pay for BBC, whether we watch or not? In the age of multi-channels, the BBC's monopoly of licence payers' money is immoral. If they were forced to compete like any other business the quality of their schedules would improve dramatically! - M. Twist, Douglas, Isle of Man.

Come off it, sir! We all like to moan about the Beeb but without BBCs 1 and 2 British TV would have the IQ of a carrot!

GUILTY, M'LADY, OF BAD JUDGMENT

Barrister Cherie Blair doesn't help her husband maintain his popular image, thanks to cases like the most recent one where she has won legal aid for a rapist to sue his victim. While Tony Blair is Prime Minister, why doesn't she take a sabbatical, or why at least not accept cases representing people whom most of us find appalling? - R. Bull, Northampton.

So only 'acceptable' crims get a lawyer? Poor justice!

Write to DEAR BANKSY, Sunday Mirror, 1 Canada Square, Canary Wharf,

London E14 5AP. Or e-mail Dbanks@media.co.uk

There's pounds 100 for our letter of the week, pounds 5 each for all others used.