A FORMER councillor who is recovering from liver and bowel cancer talked about his recovery and urged people to seek treatment and follow the doctor's advice.
81-year-old historian Roger Bingham, who was also in local government bodies for decades representing Milnthorpe before retiring in April last year, spoke to this publication about his cancer journey after Buckingham Palace revealed that King Charles III had a diagnosis.
The palace has not revealed what type of cancer the King has. When Roger was 75, the same age as the King is now, he was told he had bowel cancer, and then within a year more serious liver cancer with fears that it could be terminal.
Roger also had cancer when he was in his 20s.
"I just thought it was tummy ache and eventually I went to the doctors and eventually I was diagnosed," he said. Roger said he comes from a generation that did not want to trouble the doctor.
READ MORE: King Charles III has been diagnosed with cancer
"Many people might not be encouraged to go to the doctors but I got better from it. I encourage people, anyone with any cancer, to seek advice immediately and then to follow the advice.
"I didn't like doing what I was told," he admitted. "I keep as active as possible. I would always have 12 hours in bed but kept active otherwise. I attended meetings both in Kendal and in Lancaster, doing as I was told by the doctors."
Roger received an operation for his bowel cancer at Royal Lancaster Infirmary. He had his liver operation in 2019. He had to travel around to different parts of Lancashire and Cumbria as part of his treatment and came to an arrangement with a family member to drive him to appointments. He said he went to Barrow, Lancaster, Kendal, Preston, Blackpool, Blackburn and Chorley in the years following his diagnosis.
When he received treatment he said that he kept busy but also rested when he needed to. He is now clear of bowel cancer and has one more year to do for the liver.
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