Important point on the help and messages of support

Before I get into the initial operation to remove my teeth I thought it appropriate to mention the people I have engaged with and the amazing support that many people have given me.

I start with work - I work for Standard Bank and have come to realise over the past week or two what the "Standard Bank Family" is all about, some amasing people that have shown support at all levels, I have been truly blown away by this and realise that I work for a great firm, with great people. It is the genuine messages you receive that are so incredibly gracious and well meant, I have received many messages from all levels within the bank including a personal message and phone call from Peter Wharton Hood the Group COO, that was very special for me. But they are also looking to employ my daughter Orlanda over the next few months so she can be in South Africa to help me - I can't even start to tell you how grateful to Peter, Elizabeth (our Group Head of HR) and Nick I am, its an immense gesture and one that I will truly pay back when I have recovered, but also from the guys I work with in the management team in Real Estate Services of Marius, Stewart, Rory - they have been fantastic and again I can't even start to tell you how much I appreciate that support.


The team I manage and to which I have only just moved to again have been great, I have been clear to tell them that what I am going to go through and that I am sure I will have some grumpy old Steve moments, but it's not really me (well some people may disagree..lol!) and to bear with me through these dark times. I think they understand this and have been really supportive around this.


Two people I work with particular have just been amasing friends Angela Heward and Nick Riley, with my family in the UK I have been very dependent on them and they have been there for me, amasing friends to have. Angela was with me through the various consulting sessions and was at the hospital with me for my first operation to take out my teeth - thank you!


Of course my family, even though they are thousands of miles away they are there for me, and I have an amasing wife Carol (except when she tells me off for getting ill of course lol!) who is doing all the research possible to help me with what food I should eat, what will be the easiest once the treatment is under way and so on. People in the UK who have had a similar experience that are happy to talk through their own situation - this is also important as the more people you talk to about it the easier I think you become with the diagnosis and the more you feel you can handle/manage whatever it throws at you, especially when you speak or read about people who have come out the other side.

Prof. Syed Haq in London who has helped me understand this illness fully and with the option to use Aimspro (Daval International) in the aid of the side effects of the radiation therapy, but also hopefully the potential to support radiation in reducing the tumour quicker than the 7 weeks expected, I look forward to starting this treatment in London next week. This has the potential to be a truly amasing drug that can help all kinds of people with varying illnesses. I could go on about Aimspro forever, but that is a story for someone else to tell.


To the medical team in South Africa, I have been so impressed with the speed and efficiency of the care I have received  and really feel that I am in good hands. To any potential sufferer it is key that you trust the medical team that are looking after you, I have found the way these guys work, speedily and very efficiently makes the whole dreadful experience a lot more bearable.

Last but not least AXA-PPP my private health care insurance have also put me in touch with Medix and Joey Almog there has been an amasing person to lean on, putting up with my emotions, whilst getting things checked out for me, fully supportive, but also discussing with my wife and "hopefully" putting her mind at rest that I am in good hands?

I finish by re-iterating that it is so important wher you can that you surround your self with a good support structure, a good team on the medical front, because everybody and anything you read will tell you how important this is, don't under estimate it, it will help keep you in a positive frame of mind and remember the only thought you should have is that you are going to WIN this fight!!