I had been smoking for about 40 years at that stage and never even contemplated I could have cancer… #daffodilday

“One morning in 2009, I woke up with a slightly sore throat. As a practicing barrister for over 30 years, I was always a busy man so getting sick wasn’t an option. I tried all the usual home remedies but it didn’t seem to go away. After a few weeks, I paid a visit to my GP but he was unsure what it was, so he gave me a throat spray and recommended a throat specialist. When I looked him up, I discovered he was actually an Oncologist Throat Specialist. I had been smoking for about 40 years at that stage and never even contemplated I could have cancer. A few weeks later, I was diagnosed with throat cancer. I had barely accepted the news before they started my course of treatment. I had an unexpected reaction to the chemo and after they took some more tests, they discovered I had kidney cancer as well. The whole experience gave me a lot of clarity about life. I underwent the treatment and it worked. I dealt with it, and ultimately, I was one of the lucky ones. End of story, right? Not really… Not long after I finished the chemo, I developed this urge inside me to give back, to find a way to thank all the doctors, nurses, family and friends who worried and looked after me for all those months. I know now what it feels like to go through chemo. You are exhausted, sick, and you can’t drive. I heard so many stories from cancer patients who had no friends or family available to look after them 24/7 and some could not afford the taxi to and from their hospital to attend their treatment, which could happen multiple times a week. As a barrister, I worked from lots of different locations, from libraries and cafés to in and out of the courthouse. For me, dropping someone off to the hospital was simply like a commute to work… So here I am at 67, with one less kidney and with two jobs.“