CANCER sufferer Jade Topp may well be right in thinking her chances of surviving will be better if she returns to the United States, her homeland.

It is a shame that she feels our National Health Service cannot compete with the care she expects to receive there. But it is also a pity that she is accusing Princess Margaret Hospital staff of apathy.

The shortcomings of the NHS are down to shortage of investment, not to lack of dedication on the part of our doctors and nurses.

Mrs Topp, who met her British husband on the internet , was diagnosed with cancer of the blood and bones four years ago. We sympathise with her.

But we also question why, if health care in the USA is as near-perfect as she appears to be claiming, she chose to risk coming here when she already had a life-threatening disease.

Hopefully a hospital back home will be able to treat her successfully and we wish her well. However, it is unfair to describe medical care in Britain as Victorian.

Let us give our doctors and nurses credit for doing the best they can, in spite of heavy odds imposed by inadequate resources.