Cancer patient outlives terminal diagnosis by 25 years so far

A man who was told he had just three months to live has shared his story 25 years on.

Mike Soper, now 80 years old, said he does not think he is “anywhere near dying” as he reflected on being informed he had terminal cancer at 55.

Under Kim Leadbeater’s Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, patients deemed to be terminally ill and with less than six months to live would be allowed to receive help to kill themselves. The legislation will be debated in the House of Lords later this week.

‘Complete shock’

Soper remembered “feeling complete shock” when he was diagnosed just after retirement, “as apart from the pain in my chest I had no symptoms”.

“When I asked the specialist how long I had to live after my prostate cancer diagnosis, he said maybe six months, more likely three.”

He added: “The urologist told me there was nothing he could do and gave me an appointment for four months’ time, when he had just told me I could be dead in three!”

‘Incredibly grateful’

As former chairman of Surrey County Cricket Club, he noted: “My cricket connections ended up saving my life.”

Following a call to former Prime Minister John Major, the then cricket club President, he was put in touch with a leading prostate cancer expert who provided treatment that was not yet available on the NHS and showed results within three months.

Soper said: “I am still incredibly grateful to this professor and his work, which had extended my life.”

The 80-year-old is currently on a clinical trial “of a drug that is so new it does not have a name”, after his cancer returned in 2015.

Mental health

Dr Ben Davis, who leads the General Practice services at Central Health London, explained that “the knowledge of living with a potentially life-threatening illness can be traumatising” and “learning to manage those emotions is part of the journey too.”

Earlier this year, district councillor Rue Grewal shared how being diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2017 caused her to spiral into a temporary period of despair.

She is certain she would have chosen assisted suicide then if it had been available to her, and understood how easily a person can fall into thoughts “that it would be better – for you, for everyone – if you just slipped away”.

Grewal, who also works with cancer support charity One Vision, and has criticised assisted suicide for endangering those with mental health problems.