“What’s Another Year” 2023

In 1980 Johnny Logan won the Eurovision song contest with “What’s another year” and I had considered using this song within this artice but I felt it just didn’t really work with the message I wanted to protray here

This year has been a difficult one in so many ways for us. January started badly with a chap I first met in Dublin back in 1983, Charlie Chapman we became friends in 1999, one of the best entertainers I have ever met. Charlie had a sudden but fatal heart attack in Old Trafford accompanied by his son watching Man United vs Everton RIP Charlie.

But the hardest and most emotional part was loosing our very close friend Terry Green. Terry battled Stage 4 Sarcoma and was winning, but the Cancer spread to his brain in May but he continued battling till the end in September. I have always struggled with grief and as the years progress it gets harder.

Thankfully there have been successes with Grace entering remission after battling Stage 4 Breast Cancer. An absolutely inspirational young lady.

My own battle against Cancer started in 2014 and contiues. But helping others is what life is all about. I have watched friends pass and I have watched friends win. In October 2018 I included an image Support the Fighters Admire the Survivors and Honor the Taken. This means so much in so many ways.

My first personal contact with cancer was in 1994 when my Dad was diagnosed with Colon Cancer and passed in Nov 1994. Over the years my own attitude towards Cancer has changed. I lost so many people even before my own diagnoses in 2014.

But 2014 seriously changed my approach to not only battling cancer but creating awareness to Cancer. With a terminal diagnoses your life changes in so many ways. Back in December 2014 I was told that I had 6 weeks to live, to enjoy my Christmas as I would be in palliative care for the New Year… 9 years later and I am still here.  It’s been a long and winding road, but I have seen some incredible people battle cancer. But Cancer is relentless. Over the past two months more friends have been diagnosed. One of these friends I had first met in Oct 1995, 28 years ago. Out of the blue I took a call from this brilliant lady, only to discover that she had been diagnosed with Stage 4 Breast Cancer and currently undergoing aggressive chemotherapy to stop the spread of the cancer. As this lady is very well known I am not placing her name into this article as it is a private battle.

The second person is yet another long term friend. Someone I met in 1999, 24 years ago

In 1999 I had moved to Lanzarote to open a business. This business linked so many people together and created friendships that have lasted years. One of the first people I met in Lanzarote was Graham Mills. Graham helped me set up the entire musical side of the business, a pub called Nancy Spains. Graham is an incredible musician, he helped manage the bar and organise multiple bands and acts to perform within the bar, including himself.

November 2023 I got a call from Graham.  During a routine medical check his medical team diagnosed a possible tumour in Grahams Kidney and multiple tests followed. By December they had a clear picture of what we were dealing with. Left renal mass. This is classed as Kidney cancer and the mass was measured at 3.4cm, the average kidney is about 12cm. The surgeon will attempt to remove just the mass but the likelihood will be a complete excision of the left kidney. Within the scan they also noted a small mass to the left lung 8.33mm lower lobe. This will be monitored over the next couple of months. But Graham has agreed to surgery to either partially or fully remove the kidney. This will be done by keyhole and robotic surgery, we are just awaiting notification for the operation date. The prognoses is excellent, they caught this early.   Graham has commenced a positive approach to his battle, without hesitation he agreed surgery. Following the surgery the consultants will decide what treatment will follow. But right now its all about preparing for surgery. Together we are stronger. We have been through so much together in so many ways its amazing we are still alive…… but for us this is just another battle scar.  

For people who battle hard to survive cancer it is a complete mind fuck to see what is happening around the world, Wars are been fought for one reason or another, but lives are been taken needlessly. Hundreds of thousands have died in wars. And then we see billions spent on weapons to help kill more people. As if life is not short enough. John Lennon wrote “Give Peace a chance” in 1969 and it really is a song of hope.

War “efforts” have cost hundreds of billions to finance. But the loss of life is unspeakable. As a race we will never learn. Wars are created by Economics, Religious, Civil, Political, Revenge, Ideological and Territorial reasons. As long as there is profit in war it will never end.

The Philosopher  Friedrich Nietzsche  “We are our own worst enemy.”  .

Life is precious because it was given to us as a gift. We are here for a purpose. And, as long as we are 6 feet above ground, we have the opportunity to make the most of the life that was given to us. Right now, others are not so lucky. People are dying every moment, and someone is losing a loved one or friend

Where would we be today as a civilisation without war. It is seriously a mind melting question. All the lives destroyed and money wasted. All the trillions spent on war could be used to save lives not end them. World War 2 should have ended all wars in1945. but 78 years later it continues.

Whats Another Year…………….

But our War is against Cancer

And talking about war, back to Graham. Back in 2000 I asked Graham to sing “You’ve got a friend”. Graham sang this on stage in Nancy Spains. He filled the song with real emotion as only Graham can do.

“You’ve Got a Friend” is a 1971 song written by American singer-songwriter Carole King. It was first recorded by King and included on her second studio album, Tapestry (1971). Another well-known version is by James Taylor from his album Mud Slide Slim and the Blue Horizon.

Both Carole King and James Taylor have made it one of their signature songs, and it’s a powerful anthem for anyone who might need a helping hand.

So in December 2023 – 23 years later I had asked Graham to record this beautiful song again but this time to post on this article. Lanzarote created some incredible friendships.

What a song and what a singer.

“There are no strangers here Only friends you haven’t yet met“

William Butler Yeats

Whats in store for 2024………

For Anita we are awaiting a date for a form of surgery called lumpectomy

Lumpectomy is surgery to remove cancer or other abnormal tissue from your breast. During a lumpectomy procedure, the surgeon removes the cancer or other abnormal tissue and a small amount of the healthy tissue that surrounds it

For me it’s my first IVIG for 2024, on the 5th of January. During which I hope to have a very interesting conversation with my oncologist

And after that we hope to see our plans falling together. We commenced our plans by selling our home in November , this was a difficult decision but 2023 changed our mindset.