Latest news with #LeslieThompson
BBC News
24-07-2025
- Health
- BBC News
New cancer pain relief procedure becomes available in Leeds
A new procedure to reduce pain for cancer patients has been carried out in Yorkshire for the first time. Leslie Thompson, 79, was the first person in the region to undergo the treatment, at St James' Hospital in procedure, which is being offered to some terminally ill cancer patients, involves heating up nerves at the top of the spinal cord to permanently relieve the pain on the affected side of the body. Mr Thompson, from Yeadon, said he thought the treatment was a "good idea", having suffered "unbelievable" pain from lung cancer. Leeds has become the fourth centre in the UK to offer the procedure, after London, Glasgow and Liverpool. NHS bosses said eligible patients from across Yorkshire will no longer have to travel as far for the after the procedure, Mr Thompson said: "I feel less pain in my lung. I think it's a good idea and it will help a lot of other people. "The pain you get with cancer is unbelievable and it affects lots of people." While the nerves responsible for causing the pain are burnt in the neck, patients still retain their ability to walk and move around afterwards. The procedure involves using a radiofrequency generator, and needles which heat up and burn the nerves on the opposite side of the neck to where the pain is treatment is only suitable for patients who have pain on one side of the body and are well enough to benefit from the procedure, according to the NHS. Dr Sheila Black, consultant in anaesthesia and pain management at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, said the procedure would make the last weeks and months of a patient's life "more comfortable". She said: "I asked Leslie after the procedure: "How is your pain?" and he said: "What pain?". That's really wonderful to hear."Lots of the other treatments we have for pain have side effects, like morphine, which can cause sickness and constipation and sometimes still not help relieve the pain." Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.
Yahoo
02-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
3 Estate Planning Moves To Make To Protect Your Wealth as Recession Looms
Several indicators seem to be signaling that a recession is near. A measure of consumer confidence fell to its lowest level in 12 years, reaching a figure that has historically come before a recession, NBC News reported. Additionally, a nationwide survey of chief financial officers conducted by CNBC found that 60% expect a recession in the second half of the year. Find Out: Read Next: Whether or not a recession hits remains to be seen, but it's always best to be prepared for the worst — especially when it comes to your plans for passing down wealth. Here are the estate planning moves you should consider making to protect your wealth and take advantage of a potential market downturn. When asset values drop, you can gift more within the annual tax-free limit. 'Gifting assets to heirs is especially advantageous during a market sell-off,' said Leslie Thompson, CIO and co-founder of Spectrum Wealth Management. 'Lower valuations allow individuals to transfer more shares while staying within the annual gift tax exclusion, which is set at $19,000 per recipient in 2025, or using less of their lifetime exemption. This allows heirs to benefit from future appreciation outside of the donor's taxable estate and reduce possible future estate taxes.' Consider using tools like grantor retained annuity trusts (GRATs) and donor-advised fund (DAFs), which can be very effective in volatile markets. Learn More: Lower account values mean lower taxes on Roth conversions. 'Roth conversions provide another valuable strategy when markets are down,' Thompson said. 'Converting pretax retirement funds to a Roth IRA results in lower taxable income, since taxes are based on the asset's value at the time of conversion. Once converted, the assets grow tax-free and can take full advantage of market recovery.' Estate freeze techniques can be used for tax savings during economic downturns. 'Estate freeze techniques such as grantor retained annuity trusts or intentionally defective grantor trusts shift future appreciation to heirs while minimizing taxable values at the time of transfer,' Thompson said. 'This results in lower gift tax implications at the time of the gift and shifting future growth outside of the donor's estate, helping preserve wealth across generations.' More From GOBankingRates 5 Types of Vehicles Retirees Should Stay Away From Buying The New Retirement Problem Boomers Are Facing 4 Things You Should Do if You Want To Retire Early 8 Common Mistakes Retirees Make With Their Social Security Checks This article originally appeared on 3 Estate Planning Moves To Make To Protect Your Wealth as Recession Looms
The Independent
18-02-2025
- The Independent
Man accused of shooting wife at pub on Valentine's Day rang friend and said ‘she's dead'
A man accused of shooting his wife outside a pub on Valentine's Day phoned his friend to tell him: 'She's dead, I love you. I'll see you on the other side,' it has been claimed. The BBC reported that the suspect phoned Leslie Thompson after Lisa Smith, 43, was killed outside The Three Horseshoes in Knockholt, Kent on Friday. Kent Police believe the man, named as Edvard Stockings or Smith, fell from the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge that crosses the Thames at Dartford, and is searching the water to try to recover him. Mr Thompson told the BBC that just under two hours after the shooting, he received a phone call in which his friend told him: 'I can't live, we've all gone together' and that 'armed police will probably shoot me'. He believed his friend had suffered a breakdown, and had been greatly affected by the death of his father two years ago. Mr Thompson told the broadcaster he could not understand what had happened. 'They were both the life and soul of the party. We really don't know why he has done it. I'm baffled.'
Yahoo
18-02-2025
- Yahoo
Valentine's Day shooting accused ‘called friend to say she's dead'
A man accused of shooting his wife outside a pub on Valentine's Day phoned his friend to tell him: 'She's dead, I love you. I'll see you on the other side,' it has been claimed. The BBC reported that the suspect phoned Leslie Thompson after Lisa Smith, 43, was killed outside The Three Horseshoes in Knockholt, Kent on Friday. Kent Police believe the man, named as Edvard Stockings or Smith, fell from the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge that crosses the Thames at Dartford, and is searching the water to try to recover him. Mr Thompson told the BBC that just under two hours after the shooting, he received a phone call in which his friend told him: 'I can't live, we've all gone together' and that 'armed police will probably shoot me'. He believed his friend had suffered a breakdown, and had been greatly affected by the death of his father two years ago. Mr Thompson told the broadcaster he could not understand what had happened. 'They were both the life and soul of the party. We really don't know why he has done it. I'm baffled.'
