FORMULA ONE legend Eddie Jordan made a heartbreaking admission about his battle with “aggressive” cancer weeks before his death aged 76.
The Irish TV personality and ex-motorsport team owner has been confirmed to have passed away today.
Eddie Jordan made a heartbreaking admission during his final talkSPORT appearance[/caption]
Jordan had his own racing career in the 70’s after discovering a love of motorsport[/caption]
He revealed last December he’d been diagnosed with bladder and prostate cancer months earlier.
He made one of his last appearances on live radio last month when he touchingly apologised after revealing he’s “not himself” following a dose of chemo.
The former F1 team owner was on talkSPORT discussing his takeover of London Irish.
Towards the end of the segment, Jordan said: “Sorry guys, just a small thing, thank you.
“I’ve just come out of getting chemotherapy and I’m not 100 per cent together here guys.
“I’m just not myself at this moment in time. I’m a little all over the place, so please forgive me.”
Back in December, Jordan revealed he went through some “dark days” as the cancer spread to different parts of his body.
He urged people to go out and get tested and spoke about the importance of looking after one’s body.
In an appearance on his Formula For Success podcast, which he hosts alongside David Coulthard, Jordan said: “We’ve kind of alluded to it David, over the shows.
“Way back in March and April, I was diagnosed with bladder and prostate cancer.
“And then it spread into the spine and the pelvis, so it was quite aggressive.
“And we’ve all heard about our wonderful friend Sir Chris Hoy, who is an absolute megastar, and he [was] coming out and talking about illness such as like what I’ve got, but he’s a far younger man.
“But this is a little message for all the anchors and everybody listening to this: don’t wait or put it off.
“Go and get tested, because in life you’ve got chances and there is so much medical advice out there and so many things that you can do to extend your lifetime.
“Go and do it. Don’t be stupid, don’t be shy. It’s not a shy thing – look after your body, guys.
“We’ll move on, but yes, some very dark days in there – but we pulled out of it, thankfully.”
The signs of bladder cancer you should know
There are around 10,500 new bladder cancer cases in the UK every year, according to Cancer Research.
That’s 29 every day, making it the 11th most common form of cancer in the UK.
Smoking is the single biggest risk factor for bladder cancer, causing 45 per cent of cases in the UK.
But exposure to other chemicals, including industrial, is also known to be a cause. Sometimes the cause of bladder cancer is not known.
Around six in 10 cases are in people aged 75 or over, with a steep rise in risk from age 50.
The signs of bladder cancer
- Blood in urine: This is the most common sign. It might not be obvious and may come and go. It might look like streaks of blood, or brown urine.
- A need to urinate more
- A burning sensation when passing urine
- Pelvic pain
- Bone pain
- Unintentional weight loss
- Swelling of the legs
Speaking in mid-October about his health, the multi-millionaire revealed that he underwent tests as part of taking part in a cycling event in South Africa earlier in the year.
He said: “At 76 I did the Argus [Cape Town Cycle Tour], and then you get a bit of a bang, and then you suddenly feel that you’re not 100 per cent.
“You go to the doctor, and then you get this illness. But where there’s a will, there’s a way, and I urge everybody to be able to stand the fight, because it’s worth it.
“I’m coming out the other side, everyone else should come out the other side. The prognosis is absolutely fantastic.
“The medical awareness of what’s going on at the moment is quite simply mind-boggling – and so there should be every opportunity to avail of that medical help.”
By Alice Fuller
ABOUT 55,000 new prostate cancer cases are recorded every year in the UK.
Bladder cancer is less common, with around 10,500 new cases.
For both types, cancer can start in one area of the body and spread as the disease develops, such as to the pelvis and spine.
But there is also growing evidence to suggest patients can have two primary cancers at once.
In one study by the State University of New York, the coincidence was as high as 70 per cent for prostate cancers in patients with bladder cancer, and 3.4 per cent for bladder cancers in patients with prostate cancer.
Separate research published in the Journal of Urology found 25 per cent of patients with a bladder cancer diagnosis also had prostate cancer, and 3.8 per cent with prostate cancer also had bladder cancer.
Symptoms of both types are similar, but there are some distinct differences.
The most common signs of bladder cancer include:
- Blood in your urine
- Needing to pee more frequently
- Sudden urges to urinate
- A burning sensation when you pee
- Pelvic or bone pain
- Weight loss
- Swollen legs
Prostate cancer doesn’t usually cause any symptoms in the early stages, but as it progresses, it might cause:
- Needing to pee more frequently, often at night
- Rushing to the toilet
- Difficulty in starting to pee
- Straining or taking a long time to pee
- A weak flow
- Blood in your urine or semen
- Back or bone pain
- Tiredness
- A loss of appetite
- Weight loss
