logo
PD Jura: 'Profound shock' as Leicestershire police dog dies

PD Jura: 'Profound shock' as Leicestershire police dog dies

BBC News3 days ago
A police dog who shared a "remarkable bond" with his handler, who was having cancer treatment during their training, has died after falling ill while off duty.PD Jura died aged five after having emergency surgery for a suspected case of gastric torsion on Friday, Leicestershire Police said.The force said the dog had fallen ill on Wednesday afternoon and was immediately taken to the vet by handler PC Darren Sewell.On social media, the force's dogs section said Jura's loss had come as "a profound shock" and colleagues had lost "a treasured member of our team".
In a statement, the force said: "Initially there was hope that PD Jura would recover but sadly he passed away on Friday."PD Jura was a much-loved member of our policing family and an exceptional police dog."
Jura was just a few weeks old when he started his initial training in 2020 with PC Sewell in 2020, who had been diagnosed with stage 4 cancer.Their work together saw PC Sewell given a Special Recognition Award by the Thin Blue Paw Foundation, a charity which supports serving and retired police dogs.Jura became a fully-fledged member of the force's dog section in 2021 and along with PC Sewell, "had outstanding operational success".The statement added: "We want to thank PD Jura for his service to the force and the communities we serve. He will be deeply missed by so many."A spokesperson for the Thin Blue Paw Foundation said Jura had a "remarkable bond" with PC Sewell, and the training sessions "provided a welcomed escape for Darren while undergoing chemotherapy treatment".PC Sewell was by Jura's side when he died, the charity added.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Doctor concerned mother influenced daughter's cancer treatment, inquest hears
Doctor concerned mother influenced daughter's cancer treatment, inquest hears

The Independent

time11 minutes ago

  • The Independent

Doctor concerned mother influenced daughter's cancer treatment, inquest hears

An NHS doctor has told an inquest into the death of 23-year-old Paloma Shemirani - who died months after refusing treatment for cancer - that she was concerned her mother could have influenced the decision. The Cambridge graduate refused chemotherapy after being diagnosed in December 2023, and died just seven months later in July - despite a doctor telling her she had an 80 per cent chance of survival if she underwent treatment. Paloma's brothers have spoken out publicly in recent weeks, accusing their mother Kate Shemirani of influencing Paloma into refusing treatment that could have saved her life. Kate is a former nurse who was struck off in 2021 for sharing anti-vaxx misinformation during the Covid-19 pandemic. She has a large following across social media, where she shares anti-medicine conspiracy theories to millions of people online. Arunodaya Mohan, a consultant haematologist at Maidstone Hospital told the inquest on Friday at Oakwood House in Maidstone, Kent, that Kate had raised concerns with experts about the treatment plan seven months before Paloma's death. Dr Mohan met Paloma on December 22 2023 to set out the treatment plan after her diagnosis. She told the inquest she recommended steroids and a PET (positron emission tomography) scan, adding that Paloma 'nodded in agreement'. But soon after that, Paloma told Ms Mohan that she had not made her mind up about the treatment and wished to explore other options. Dr Mohan said that she spoke on the phone with Paloma's mother, saying that she expressed 'concerns' about the side-effects of steroids. Dr Mohan told the inquest: 'I didn't want to discuss with mum because I didn't think it would be helpful to her.' Alison Hewitt, counsel to the inquest, later asked: 'Were there concerns that Ms Shemirani was influencing Paloma?' Dr Mohan replied: 'That's right.' Paloma declined to have the treatment, and when Dr Mohan asked why, there did not seem to be a specific reason, the inquest heard. Ms Hewitt asked Dr Mohan if she questioned Paloma on whether her decision was influenced by anyone. Dr Mohan said: 'She was very confident that it was her own decision and she was not influenced.' Kate advocates for the use of 'natural medicine' to cure diseases, and credits alternative therapies for being cancer free after she was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2012, although her tumour was removed through surgery. It is these kinds of conspiracy theories that Paloma's brothers, Gabriel and Sebastian Shemirani, believe led their sister to refuse treatment for cancer. Kate and her husband Faramarz Shemirani have denied responsibility and claimed that 'Paloma died as a result of medical interventions' since her sons made the accusations, the BBC reported. 'My sister has passed away as a direct consequence of my mum's actions and beliefs,' Paloma's brother Sebastian told the BBC. 'And I don't want anyone else to go through the same pain or loss that I have." Paloma began suffering chest pains after she graduated from the University of Cambridge and was later diagnosed with cancers after doctors found a mass in her lung. She was told the cancer could be fatal if left untreated, but that she had an 80 per cent chance of recovery with treatment. Her mother then spent two days with her as an inpatient at Maidstone Hospital, which Paloma's boyfriend claimed could have influenced her decision to reject chemotherapy. Her brother, Gabriel, then began a legal case arguing that Paloma should have an assessment of the appropriate medical treatment for her. However, Paloma died before the case reached its conclusion in July 2024.

Fake Botox ‘poisoning cosmetic patients'
Fake Botox ‘poisoning cosmetic patients'

Telegraph

time11 minutes ago

  • Telegraph

Fake Botox ‘poisoning cosmetic patients'

Thirty-eight people in the UK have been poisoned by fake Botox since last month, officials have revealed. Victims experienced difficulties with breathing and swallowing, as well as slurred speech, after suffering from botulism, a rare and life-threatening condition. The UK Healthcare Security Agency (UKHSA) issued a warning over the cases in the East of England and the East Midlands, following a spate of similar poisonings in the North East. To date, 38 cases of 'iatrogenic botulism' have been reported between 4 June and 14 July. The UKSHA said it was warning people to be aware of the symptoms after victims needed NHS care after suffering from adverse reactions. Evidence so far suggests that an 'unlicensed Botox-like product' had been used, the agency said. The practitioners involved have stopped offering the injections and are co-operating with an ongoing investigation, the UKSHA said. Officials said there were no known links between the newly diagnosed cases and those in the North East. Symptoms can take four weeks to develop The UKHSA has urged members of the public to make sure they take precautions when seeking aesthetic procedures, including checking if the product being used is licensed. Dr Gauri Godbole, a consultant medical microbiologist at the UKHSA, said: 'Botulism related to aesthetic procedures is rare, but it can be serious. It is caused by toxins produced by the bacterium Clostridium botulinum. These toxins (but not the bacteria) are the active ingredient in 'Botox' and similar products. 'Symptoms of botulism can take up to four weeks to develop, and if you have had a recent botulinum toxin (Botox-like) treatment and are having symptoms such as difficulty swallowing or breathing, contact NHS 111 for further advice and seek treatment.'

Startling immune hack that makes tumors disappear could unlock a universal cancer vaccine
Startling immune hack that makes tumors disappear could unlock a universal cancer vaccine

Daily Mail​

time11 minutes ago

  • Daily Mail​

Startling immune hack that makes tumors disappear could unlock a universal cancer vaccine

Scientists may be one step closer to a universal cancer vaccine that could revolutionize how the disease is treated. The vaccine uses mRNA, messenger RNA, the same technology behind the COVID-19 vaccines, which carries instructions for cells to produce specific proteins. However, instead of directing cells to make a protein that triggers an immune response, researchers at the University of Florida used mRNA that acts as a red flag itself, immediately alerting the immune system and prompting a reaction. In their study, mice implanted with human melanoma tumors were treated with the mRNA vaccine alongside immunotherapy drugs, medications designed to harness and boost the immune system, once a week for three weeks. The combination helped immune cells recognize and attack the cancer, leading to tumor shrinkage and, in some cases, complete disappearance. All untreated mice died within 50 days, but among those that received the vaccine and immunotherapy, every mouse survived at least 60 days, and more than half were still alive at day 100 when the experiment ended. The research remains in its early stages and has not yet been tested in humans, but scientists said it offers a promising glimpse into a future where chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery may no longer be necessary in the fight against cancer. Dr Elias Sayor, a pediatric oncologist which led the research, said: 'This paper describes a very unexpected and exciting observation: That even a vaccine not specific to any particular tumor or virus could lead to tumor-specific effects. 'This finding is proof of concept that these vaccines potentially could be commercialized as universal cancer vaccines that might sensitize the immune system against a patient's individual tumor,' she continued. Scientists consider developing a cancer vaccine, targeting one of the leading causes of death, to be a 'holy grail' of medical breakthroughs. There are currently two main approaches in cancer vaccine development, including identifying a common target found in many patients with a particular cancer, or creating a personalized vaccine tailored to an individual's specific tumor. However, the team behind this new research believes their study introduces a promising third approach, one that focuses on stimulating a powerful immune response rather than targeting cancer directly. Dr Duane Mitchell, a neurosurgeon and co-author of the study, explained: 'What we found is by using a vaccine designed not to target cancer specifically, but rather to stimulate a strong immunologic response, we could elicit a very strong anti-cancer reaction. 'This has significant potential to be broadly used across cancer patients, even possibly leading us to an off-the-shelf cancer vaccine.' Each year, about 104,000 Americans are diagnosed with melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer. When caught early, it's often treatable, but if the cancer spreads, the five-year survival rate drops to just 34 percent. In the study, scientists used mRNA derived from mitochondria, the energy-producing structures within cells, which can also trigger a rapid immune response. The researchers tested their new vaccine on several types of cancer in mice, including skin, bone, and brain cancers, and found that in many cases, the tumors shrank or disappeared entirely following treatment. Dr. Elias Sayour, a pediatric oncologist and lead investigator, suggested the vaccine may help activate T cells, immune cells responsible for detecting and destroying threats, which previously failed to respond, prompting them to multiply and attack cancerous cells. Dr. Duane Mitchell added: 'It could potentially be a universal way of waking up a patient's own immune response to cancer. And that would be profound if generalizable to human studies.' While the vaccine is still likely years away from clinical use, the team says they are actively working to advance it into human trials. The research was published in the journal Nature Biomedical Engineering.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store