Wilko Johnson declares himself ‘cured’ after cancer operation


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Wilko Johnson has declared himself ‘cancer-free’ after an incredible recovery from the disease which doctors initially feared had left him with just months to live.

The former Dr. Feelgood guitarist discussed what was thought to be a terminal form of pancreatic cancer, for which he would not seek treatment, for the first time late in 2012, and subsequently embarked on a ‘farewell’ tour of the UK which in the end continued for most of last year.

Then, his battle took an unexpected twist when doctors discovered the tumour was of a less aggressive form than first described – this after Johnson sought a new diagnosis when a friend ‘became curious as to why he wasn’t dead’.

He subsequently underwent an experimental operation back in April, after which doctors declared themselves ‘cautiously optimistic’ with the results.

Now, Johnson has said the operation ‘cured him’ and praised the staff at Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge. “It was an 11-hour operation,” he explained. “This tumour weighed 3kg – that’s the size of a baby. Anyway, they got it all. They cured me.”

“He runs all the tests again and he says they think that they can do it and they did it, man, they took this tumour out of me.”

Wilko Johnson was speaking to the BBC after picking up the Icon Award at yesterday’s Q Awards ceremony.


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