Just like the brave honoured, Jim is
A cancer-stricken historian revealed he is trialing a new wonder drug in his gruelling battle with the disease.
Proud Buddie Jim Smith, 76, was diagnosed in January 2016 just as he finished his marathon work Paisley’s Fallen in the War 1914-18.
Jim, from Foxbar, spent more than seven years researching and documenting the title which contains the names and details of 2,500 Buddies who made the ultimate sacrifice on behalf of their country in the Great War.
And the history man told, despite his personal health struggle, he is hopeful he can continue to fight on through 2018, the milestone which marks the centenary of the allies’ victory over the Axis powers in WW1.
He said: “Life for me, the last few years has been one long struggle, but I was able to finish my last book.
“However, since then I’ve been totally exhausted.
“Also my life’s been taken over by continual visits to the doctors, hospitals for all types of scans, especially appointments at the Beatson Cancer Hospital.
“I was diagnosed with a rare type of aggressive prostate cancer. The professor said it was like an aggressive tiger.”
Jim recently attended a special ceremony commemorating 100 years since the start of the Battle of the Somme, where he and his son John, 43, were among more than 10,000 people, including statesmen and dignitaries, at the Thiepval Memorial in France.
But he got depressing news that his cancer had spread from his prostate and had travelled up his body, leaving him even more physically and mentally exhausted.
He said: “Scans taken earlier in 2017 showed secondary cancer which spread to my lymph nodes and was moving up my body.
“Recent CT scans indicated my liver to be infected plus a biopsy confirmed it as cancer.
“I immediately volunteered as a patient for a new intravenous drug called Pembrolizumab.
“This treatment will be repeated every three weeks over the next 24 months – which, fingers crossed, will work and give me a another few years.
“And I feel something must be working because I don’t feel as tired as I did.”
The new drug is an antibody that blocks a protective mechanism of cancer cells, and allows the immune system to destroy those cancer cells.
Proud family man Jim added he is upbeat as he digs in for the battle ahead and he even takes weekly exercise classes to give himself a fighting chance.
He said: “When told I had incurable cancer it came as a shock, but within minutes, I came to terms with my lot and, although knackered most of the time, I’m doing my best to behave as normal and treat it just as a bloody nuisance.
“It’s a funny old world – I always believed that given the choice between dying from a heart attack or cancer, I would take the heart attack any day and get it over quickly.
“But I’m sincerely grateful it’s not a heart attack as my condition is giving me more time to spend with my wife Janet, family and friends.
“Also, to try and improve my position, I joined the Ray of Hope group at the East Gate Church, Elderslie, who every Monday have an exercise class for people with cancer – which I think is doing me good.”
Jim was recently given the red carpet treatment at a special reception at Paisley’s Central Library where his title Paisley’s Fallen in the War 1914-18: Revised