WHAT romantic readers you are. The Citizen was swamped with poems for our Valentine's competition but best of the bunch had to be the entry from Sharon Goldsmith.

Love really has conquered all for her and husband Paul who have made the dark journey through illness and infertility only to become closer than ever.

The couple, married for 21 years, were once told they might never have a family after doctors discovered a serious tumour close to Sharon's brain.

Despite all the odds Sharon gave birth to a wonderful baby boy Ryan, now 17, and five years later to much-cherished daughter Carly.

But during her first pregnancy, Sharon's tumour grew so big it pressed on her optic nerve, causing her to go completely blind when she gave birth.

Ever since, Sharon has suffered ill health and - despite regaining her sight - frequent visits to Christies Hospital in Manchester have become part of everyday life.

Throughout Paul, who works a design engineer at British Aerospace, was a tower of strength.

Sharon, 42, an administrator at Clarke House, Norcross, told the Citizen: "In everything, Paul has stood by me and been amazingly supportive.

"Over the years I have not always been well and I still have to go to Christies.

"Some couples could get torn apart by problems like these, but we have just got closer and closer.

"Of course, we have our ups and downs but over the years he's been a wonderful dad and a smashing husband.

"When I desperately wanted to try for another baby, because I wanted a daughter, Paul backed my decision even though lots of people thought I was mad to try again after my first pregnancy.

"Most recently, as my parents are getting older, he suggested we buy a bigger house so they could live with us.

"He's just a very caring, thoughtful man.

"He's very hard-working and I appreciate all he's done for us as a family, that's why I just had to write this poem."

LOVE IS FOR LIFE

As youngsters our love was heady and strong

I felt that together, we would always belong

We worked hard and made a home of our own

A haven for lovers to be all alone

As years passed by we recognised a gap

We longed for a baby to sit on our lap

Against all the odds, two children we had

I always knew you would make a good dad!

Sometimes it's been tough, the problems we've faced

Worrying situations in which we've been placed

But we've faced it together, our love has come through

You're always there for me, as I am for you

True love has no ending, and ours still goes on

In fact it has deepened as the years have gone

You're all I could wish for, you're the love of my life

I love you Paul, and I'm so proud to be your wife!

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.