Richard Caddy – Cancer Stories of Hope #CANSA90

What is your current cancer diagnosis?

I was diagnosed with Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL). At this stage I only need to go for an annual check-up.

How long have you been living with that cancer?

19 years.

How does living with cancer affect you in general in your day-to-day living?

My spleen is enlarged, which causes a cough reaction when I bend. No other side effects.

Is there a family history of cancer? Please elaborate if yes.

Yes. My father died of cancer, but he had been a smoker and was a prisoner of war in a Japanese labour camp in Thailand.

My brother died at age 12 from Hodgkin’s Disease. This was in 1954 before chemotherapy became widely available.

How have you or your loved ones been affected by you living with cancer?

After the initial shock of diagnosis, not much.

How has having cancer affected you during this time of COVID-19?

Just made me more cautious.

What is your message to other people living with cancer?

Keep on living to the greatest extent that you can. Read more about my story here…

Is pain a daily part of your life and how do you manage it?

No.