BLASTED DISEASE

[Ken Byng]

One of my longest serving pupils has recently been diagnosed with terminal pancreatic cancer. I won't name him out of respect to him and his family, but he loves the steel guitar as much as anyone that I have ever known. He complained to me of stomach pains and I suggested that he might be suffering with a stomach ulcer and to get it checked out. They opened him up last week and discovered the worst. His wife rang me as I was driving back to Southampton from Yorkshire on Monday and asked if I could sell his beloved Emmons push pull. They needed the cash quickly as he is in a private ward in a private hospital. She asked me if I could get £1200 for it, and I said that I would guarantee to get more than that even if I had to buy it myself.

I put it on this forum last night in the For Sale section, and had 4 people contact me. The guitar is as new - as if it had just come out of the Emmons factory. I got a pretty fair offer for it so they are happy, but if I'd have had more time I could probably have got its true value. In these days of bank transfer, the funds are now in their bank account.

The point of my post is that we just don't know what is round the corner. One minute our lives are steady and comfortable, and the next there is drama, worry and uncertainty.

[Dave Nutt]

Well done Ken, Im sure your help will be much appreciated by his family,god bless him and all close to him.
No one more than myself appreciates the ravages of the Big C -cancer of the oesphagus, major surgery, then cancer in right kidney requiring removal, its a real bummer and a difficult time for all concerned, personal attitude helps a lot but having folks around to help out and support is very important.
Well done Ken
Dave.

[Ken Byng]

Thanks Dave.

I lost both parents and my younger brother to cancer, so I know how it can affect families. I will contact a British Legion club not far from me, and see if they would allow me to put an evening of entertainment on. They have let me put a fund raising night on there before, so I hope that they will do it again. I will use local musician friends who will give their time to raise money for this fellow musician.

I have to give musicians their due - it is like a brotherhood and we all donate our time for fellow players who are going through bad times.

[Gretschnut]

Ken, sorry for the delay as I have only just read this thread. You are indeed a gentleman and a credit to this Forum. What a better place this world would be if everyone could aspire to your level of kindness. Regards, Harry.

[Malcolm]

Ken, just saw this, well done, as ever you have proved yet again what a top guy you are.
Dave, hope you are keeping well my friend.

[Dave Nutt]

I'm fine thanks Mal, all testimony to good medical care, good friends, my family and a great missus, I have now almost reached the magic 5 years of survival, so I'm feeling like one of the lucky ones. 73 years of age, now returned to running my business (locksmiths) and enjoying every single day.
God bless ya Mal.
Dave.

[Malcolm]

Really glad to hear that Dave.