Inspirational Client: A Celebration of Life

Being diagnosed with a terminal illness is frightening and bewildering. Receiving a diagnosis of mesothelioma and living with the fact your life will be cut short because of a preventable illness is something that no-one should have to bear.

Although the future may be daunting when receiving a diagnosis, at RWK Goodman we have seen that sometimes it is important to step back and appreciate the little things. Such as it was for John W and his family.

John was diagnosed with mesothelioma in February 2021 and sadly passed away in August 2022. He was a fit, active, happy man who married the love of his life, Joy, in 1957. They had two sons.

John’s diagnosis of mesothelioma devastated his family. He was given a matter of months to live. Despite this, he made a decision to take small steps in dealing with his diagnosis. He continued working on his allotment where he grew vegetables for himself and Joy; he was a lover of cricket and challenged himself to stay well enough to see the end of the local cricket season, going to watch the matches. Even when he was unwell, he checked in with his neighbours and stayed positive about his diagnosis.

Sadly, John passed away before the cricket season ended. However, his team, Aston Rowant CC (who play in the Home Counties Premier League – the highest level in the area), went on to win the 2022 season just a few months after John passed away. In their words, they “won it for John” and presented his son with a framed shirt in his memory. They also raised a glass to him at their annual awards dinner. That and the many people who celebrated John after his death really says something incredible about his character and the lives he touched.

I can say firsthand that John was a cherished part of his community. When I attended his funeral, it was clear to me that the local community and his cricket team held him in very high esteem indeed. He had a real passion for life and everyone in it.

Sometimes it is really helpful to come to terms with a terminal diagnosis by taking small, positive steps as part of a larger process. In John’s case, being an avid cricket lover and setting himself small goals to achieve, like going to gather vegetables from his allotment for dinner that evening, walking down the road to check in with neighbours, or going to his local cricket matches to support his team, really helped him through the process of dealing with his mesothelioma.

We pause to remember John and Joy who loved each other deeply and made the most of their situation by finding solace with each other and their loving family, and by taking small steps to stay positive even in the darkest of times.

Here at RWK Goodman, our vision is to be a firm that clients want to work with and people want to work for. We believe we give unparalleled personalised client service and are a firm that genuinely cares for our clients. It was a real privilege to have known John, and to have supported him through his claim. His story is a testament to his character.