Man who fell over while walking dog told he has months to live

Man who fell over while walking dog told he has months to live Richard Clark was hospitalised multiple times and was eventually given his prognosis A man who tripped over a kerb while walking his son's dog ended up being r ushed to A&E multiple times, diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and almost died three times. Richard Clark initially went home after the accident, feeling 'alright' despite cuts and bruises to his face. Days later he was having headaches and hallucinations, then collapsed in the house and couldn’t move. His wife Karen called an ambulance, and he was taken to A&E at Warwick Hospital where scans revealed a tumour near the base of his spine. It needed operating on immediately, so he was transferred to University Hospital Coventry in Walsgrave where surgeons removed the tumour without damaging the delicate spinal cord or cluster of nerves. Scans showed the tumour was just one of several and 10 days after being discharged from hospital, the 78-year-old was readmitted to ICU at Warwick with a deadly respiratory disease, and ended up on a ventilator. W eeks later, while waiting to be discharged, two surgeons visited his bedside and broke the news that further examination of the scans revealed pancreatic cancer. Richard, from Henley, said: “The surgeon said, ‘I want you in as soon as we can possibly get you in, because that’s your best chance’.” Due to the initial infection and respiratory illness, Richard needed a month’s physiotherapy to build up his strength before it was safe to have the operation at University Hospital Coventry. He said: “The pancreatic surgeon did an absolutely brilliant job and got the whole thing and it was only because I’d been in hospital that they caught it early. Pancreatic cancer is one of the deadliest cancers, because there are no symptoms until it’s too late.” He was well enough to go home after two weeks, and then completed a six-month course of chemotherapy. Then just before Christmas he was diagnosed with liver cancer and in January this year, the father of four adult children was given six to 12 months to live. He said: “At each stage, I got, or they found, something new, so between January 2025 and July 2025, I had three near-death experiences. I’ve been so lucky. I’ve been operated on three times – three major operations, so not counting the minor ones, and the skill is tremendous. “You just need one thing to go wrong and your morale drops, because you’re fighting everything from the uncomfortable bed to the food that’s rubbish. But without exception, staff talked to me like a normal human being and if I asked a question, they answered it and the communication was so friendly.” He is still having chemotherapy and although his oncologist is based at Warwick, chemo sessions all take place at Stratford Hospital’s Rigby unit. Richard, who previously worked in housing, has recorded his experiences in a ‘warts and all’ style personal memoir After the Fall. Everyone who orders a copy of the book is encouraged to donate to Friends of Stratford Hospital (FoSH). It’s his way of giving something back to the NHS and the local team who care for him. He’s already raised more than £700 for FoSH and aims to reach his target of £1,000. He said: “The book’s about what happens in hospital, a warts-and-all account that’s intended to have humour as well as dark moments – some bits are horrible but funny. A lot of books about medicine seem to be ‘I was a very strong, healthy person, then I got cancer or MS or something, and then I got better and now I’m fine’. “Mine’s not linear like that at all – there are twists and turns throughout and that’s why I thought it was worth writing.” The book covers only the events of the first six months. He explained: “When I finished the last chapter I didn’t know I was going to go on being ill for another year.” His liver cancer has responded really well to chemo, and his most recent tests showed a 40 per cent reduction in cancer markers. “You can never be complacent, but for the first time for a long time, I feel optimistic that I might actually live rather longer than I thought,” he said. The support he’s had from fellow residents in Henley, where he used to sit on the parish council, has given him a massive boost. He says people hug him in the street and send him little presents – one neighbour regularly posts chocolate bars through his letterbox – and cards. “It’s been terrible and very tough at times but it’s also been full of good things and people have been wonderful to me,” he explained. “It’s also been a very uplifting experience.” To order a copy of Richard’s memoir and donate to Friends of Stratford Hospital, go to Just Giving