It is with sadness that we have to announce the death of former committee member Dick Cooke. Dick was diagnosed with cancer in a kidney in 1995. Surgeons removed the affected organ – and two years later he had another op to remove a cancerous lump in his arm.
In 2002 the cancer returned and he had to have part of his remaining kidney removed. Then it came back again and the whole organ was taken out in 2005.
For the next three years, Dick survived by using a haemodialysis machine every day. Without any sign of cancer recurrence, he was given a transplant kidney by a close friend in 2008.
This had remained cancer free, being different to his own tissue. However, eight years ago, it was discovered the original cancer had spread to his lungs and bowel.
Dick kept himself very fit whilst he had to dialyse. His amazing training schedule meant he cycled 47km, ran 10km and swam 2km every day before hooking himself up to his dialysis machine for two hours. He was the first Brit to compete in the European Dialysis and Transplant Games where he brought home a handful of medals.
He also represented Bristol in the British Transplant Games in Bath 2010.
Our thoughts are with his wife Barbara and son Jimmy.
