Music star Noddy Holder has revealed how he kept his cancer diagnosis a secret because he ‘didn’t want people to just think of him as a victim’. The Slade frontman, who hails from Walsall, was diagnosed with oesophageal cancer in 2018.
But it was not until earlier this year that he announced he had been battling the disease after keeping his troubling diagnosis ‘low- key’ for years. Medics had previously told the 77-year-old he had just six months to live.
With news of his prognosis, he decided to become a ‘guinea pig’ and underwent experimental treatment – said to be ‘four times stronger than normal chemotherapy’ and never given to anyone of his age. Now, Holder says his positive mental attitude helps him ‘thank god’ following his health woes.
READ MORE: ‘Underworld drugs dealer and his broker’ who sold AK-47 to criminals jailed for almost 40 years
POLL: Have you started your Christmas shopping yet?
Holder – whose rock band Slade sang the iconic ‘Merry Xmas Everybody’ – went on to say he returned to the stage despite his cancer diagnosis to show the public ‘I’m still standing’. Speaking to The Big Issue, Holder said: “The reason I’ve just been on the road doing shows with [boogie woogie pianist and singer] Tom Seals and his band is that, five years ago, I was diagnosed with oesophageal cancer.
“And I was only given six months to live. I kept it very low-key because I didn’t want people to just think of me as a cancer victim.
“Though I don’t call it ‘victim’ because that’s the wrong word. But at the Christie Hospital in Manchester, I was offered a trial of a new drug.
“I was a sort of guinea pig for this drug that was four times stronger than normal chemotherapy. The consultant said, “we’ve never given this to anybody your age but we are getting some success with younger people”.
“So, I thought, “what do I have to lose?” I only had six months left anyway. And I’ve always had this positive mental attitude, and he said that could be a big bonus.
“So I’m still alive, thank god. They never tell you you’re cured. You’re never cured, you just carry on being checked on.
“But then I thought, I’m still around after five years, why don’t I go and do some shows? So people can see that I’m still standing and I can still sing a few tunes and tell a few stories.
“I didn’t do a full two hours as I would have in the old days. But I think people were surprised at how well I could still belt out a tune.”