EVERY morning when Bernard Doy wakes up he says a silent thank you.For he knows he has been given more precious time to spend with his beloved son Daniel.

Mr Doy, 58, of Tranmere Grove, Ipswich, is a single dad and teaches Daniel at home.

For him, the hardest part is knowing that one day he will have to say goodbye to his son.

He said: "To be with Daniel every second of the day is so precious to me. I try to make our time together very special.

"He is a very clever little lad. He's very loving and understanding, although he does not realise how ill his dad is. Every day when I wake up I look out and say thank you that I have another day."

Although he maintains a cheerful facade for his son's sake, Mr Doy said he would not have got through the last few months with out the help and support of two special friends - Jim and Clarissa Wright, of Saxmundham. Clarissa is Daniel's mother.

He said: "I just want to thank everyone who has helped me, but particularly Jim and Clarissa. They are a wonderful, caring, compassionate couple."

Mr and Mrs Wright help Mr Doy out with household chores and also help out with looking after Daniel.

He said: "Without them things would not be the same. Clarissa herself is an ME

sufferer so I know how much they have to put themselves out to help me.

"I just want to thank them so much. I can never repay their kindness."

Mr Doy has also expressed his thanks to everybody involved with his treatment at Ipswich Hospital.

He said: "My surgeon, Mr Pitt is absolutely wonderful and very compassionate and Dr Sherwin from the

oncology department has been great.

"Everybody on the Sproughton ward was

brilliant as well.

"I really want to thank them all for the wonderful way they talked to me and took care of me.

"It must be very difficult to relate to my situation but they have all been so kind."

n Opinion - page 6