Open Letter to Pearl Jam - Plea for Manchester 2012

strummers wrote:

Hold the press - he may make a road trip down to Manchester between treatments if he's feeling up to it. Would be so so good for him to hear a dedication (either in person or via bootleg)!!! Having to constantly fight for over 2 years is tough going - but he's doing it!

Please dedicate a song for the Bigman!
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Story below. He's still fighting!

Due to the treatment it's highliy unlikely he'll make the Manchester or Scandinavian gigs in 2012 - had it not been for this I guarantee he would've been there!

Please guys dedicate a song to the Bigman at one of the Manchester or Scandinavian shows in 2012. It would mean so much....
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The man the legend known as The Big Man is without question a rock legend known throughout the venues of the UK. He also happens to be one of my best friends.

Despite his name, The Big Man is gentle, softly spoken, one of the last true gents and he wouldn't hurt a fly. However he has been dealt one of the cruellest and most shocking blows that illnesses can give. A friend said that he was 'riddled with cancer'. They asked him directly in the hope that he would play down this exaggeration but he wryly smiled and said "yes that is a pretty succinct way of putting it! - I have cancers in my colon/bowels, liver, lungs and my adrenal system." The doctors are not used to seeing someone in their thirties with this condition. Following further tests he has been told that the cancer is incurable. They will not have seen anyone with the amount of strength, resilience and Geordie stubbornness to kick the cancer out of his body as The Big Man. He will certainly have a massive fight ahead of him with a mixture of surgery and chemo therapy, but he is confident and optimistic that he will stick it to the consultants, who after further tests have recently told him the cancer is incurable.

With shared support, optimism and belief his friends and family are all hoping he can kick the cancer into touch and prove the doctors wrong.

The Big Man is a massive music fan who sees an average of 35-50 gigs each and every year - earlier this year he hit his 730th gig (that's 2 whole years worth of gigging!). He's determined to keep going and even went to see Kiss in between his chemo sessions earlier this month.

From ’92 (in our home town of Newcastle) onwards he has seen PJ play in all but one of their European tours that have hit UK shores (which he enjoys telling us about at every opportunity as we have only had the pleasure of seeing them since 2000). Before being diagnosed with cancer he was due to come over to Belfast for the PJ gig in June and his world has been turned upside down since then. However he was still determined to come over to Belfast in June. Unfortunately his chemo schedule clashes with the Belfast gig and he's unable to make it, which he isn't too happy about!!

He introduced me to live music many many years ago and I would dearly love to do something that will spur him on and keep him going until the next time you hit European shores. Therefore if it is at all possible his friends throughout the world would be very grateful if you could dedicate a song to him in Manchester or anywhere in Europe as he can't be there in person.

I'll leave the request there and would just like to thank the 10c, the band and the board members for giving the time to read this and hopefully lending their support to a great friend!

Cheers
T

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An update!

After having 11 chemo sessions in his first cycle the Big Man Got the results of his scan today - his birthday (and PJ's!).

Good news! The tumors in his lungs have disappeared and the tumors everywhere else have shrunk!

Thank you all for your positivity and good energy - it's most definitley helping so keep it coming!!

Today is a great day to celebrate, birthdays, anniversaries, good news and life itself!

Update 2

Unfortunately after a recent scan it looks like the tumours are growing again. The Big Man goes back in for more Chemo towards the end of March. Please keep him in your thoughts and send some positivity through - he needs to get better for the next time the guys are in the UK!