What Goes Around, Comes Around “I went to the hospital for several procedures over a three-week period, in which time I endured two blood transfusions and a stem-cell transplant, and was bedridden for the duration of the cancer treatment,” says David. “We were able to do this because of my job and my co-workers’ generosity. The whole hospital had rallied to help my wife and me, as did many other businesses and organisations, helping us out of a very difficult situation.” The cancer treatment took its toll on David’s energy levels, and so he took early retirement, as he had planned to. As part of his “golden handshake” he offered to do the same for his fellow colleagues. “I told them how my situation had changed their lives, and how much they had done for me. I asked them if they were comfortable with my staying on as an ex-employee for another six months as well. They overwhelmingly agreed to both. I will remain at the hospital as a trustee for the next two years.” David’s story speaks of the support of family, friends, and the workplace, and the strength of relationships. “I have the best of friends,” he says. “My wife is my biggest support, and without her and her strength of character I would not be here. I owe her everything.” “This has been a really humbling experience,” he says. “The people I’ve seen here have been absolutely incredible. What a great hospital! There’s no way we would have been able to cope otherwise, and it has made us realise just how precious life is.” “It has also made me realise that we must look after each other,” says David. “We need to look after our communities, and our people. We need to take care of each other, and especially those who are the most vulnerable and those who can’t look after themselves. There is not much else that needs to be said on that.” One thing that makes him feel good is that since his diagnosis he’s witnessed some extraordinary medical progress. “Since I’ve been ill I have seen some incredible developments in science, and have seen that a lot of progress has been made to find cures for cancer. It’s not just the big medical advances that happen. It’s the small ones that matter most. I don’t really know if there is a cure for cancer, but if there is, I will be the first in line to have it. That has been my focus through this whole journey.” The Power of Giving and Taking David acknowledges the generosity of others in his story. “First I would like to give a huge thank you to those who donated for my treatment,” he says. “All the companies that supported me were hugely important. There were a lot of doctors, nurses, and hospitals who made an extraordinary effort. Many different organisations came on board, including my own workplace. There were a lot of different people to thank in all of this.” David’s story shows us the power of giving and taking. “When I met my wife 20 years ago, I had a lot of hope and optimism. When my cancer started to go wrong, I felt fear, and was worried about the future for the first time since that day. For the first time, I asked myself what if I wasn’t able to support my family and give them what they deserve. I asked myself if I was really worthy of the faith my wife had placed in me. That was when I was at my lowest point. “Thankfully my wife gave me the strength to fight and overcome it all. She has been by my side for almost 18 months of a seven-year battle. I still don’t know if I’m going to beat the cancer. My only certainty is that she is there for me.” “I went back to work because I know my wife and family would have it no other way. If they were to make a decision to look after me, I am not going to hold them back from doing so,” he says. “I need to be as positive as possible. I feel like I am in a race. There is no sense in being in too much pain for my wife, and I’m aware of the fact that these are incredibly long odds. But I don’t want to leave things to chance. I want to do as much as I can to try to win.” “I want to take the challenge head on, and do the very best I can,” says David. “I am a firm believer in working hard and going the distance.” “My goal now is to beat cancer and enjoy a full and healthy life, so that I can do what I love and can do it as well as possible,” he says. “I would like to give thanks to everyone who did all they could to help me through my time here. You have all been amazing and I hope you know how very special you are to me. You are the reason that I have an amazing and supportive family, that the wonderful people that I work with are so special, and I feel extremely lucky to have met some truly wonderful friends.” “Thank you, as always, for making my life better than I imagined it could be.” Dr. David Deighton-Gale worked as a Senior Specialist Trainee in Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine at The Prince of Wales Hospital and Sydney Children’s Hospital Network, and in the same hospital at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital. He was the recipient of the Sir Ian Wallace Award in 2012. In 2012 he started lecturing at the University of Sydney, and in 2016 he was appointed to the role of Clinical Director of the South Eastern Sydney Local Health District (formerly Northern Sydney Local Health District) Medical Training Centre for NSW Health. He has held additional roles with The University of Sydney, including Associate Dean of Medical Education and the Director of the Faculty of Medicine & Health Sciences at the University of Technology Sydney. He has won awards for his teaching and mentoring abilities in 2015 and 2016. He was also awarded in 2007 as the Senior Respiratory Specialist of the Year at the Australia and New Zealand Respiratory & Sleep Medicine Group Annual Meeting. David was diagnosed with cancer in 2017 and is being treated at The Prince of Wales Hospital in Randwick and Sydney Children’s Hospital. He is currently in remission and lives in a private home in Sydney. Our Community Stories The Prince of Wales Hospital Foundation’s Community Engagement & Education Officer, Joanna McManus, is travelling to the Sunshine Coast for the next six months. She is sharing stories of those affected by cancer and how a day at The Prince of Wales Hospital helped them, as part of our Community Stories series.