When Philip Duncombe was diagnosed with prostate cancer, it came as a shocking and unexpected blow. Just before the devastating news, he and Sue had been enjoying a dream holiday in South Africa. It was Christmas Eve 2004, and after years together, they had decided to get married the following year, celebrating the decision with an intimate dinner.
Upon returning home, Philip’s routine PSA test results came back unusually high, leading to further tests and ultimately a diagnosis of prostate cancer at the age of 52. Despite the grim news, the couple quickly planned their wedding for May 2005. Philip’s mantra, “What are you waiting for?”, became their rallying cry, pushing them to live fully in the moment.
Philip underwent surgery to remove his prostate, but the cancer returned within a year. He faced grueling treatment, including nine rounds of chemotherapy, but the disease spread beyond his lymph nodes to his bones. As his health deteriorated, Philip struggled with even simple pleasures like playing golf.
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Hope arrived when his oncologist introduced a clinical trial for a new drug, abiraterone, aimed at patients for whom chemotherapy had failed. Philip joined the Phase III trial in January 2009 in Oxford. Remarkably, within two weeks, his PSA levels dropped significantly, and his quality of life improved dramatically.
Sue recalls, “Philip, who had become socially withdrawn and fatigued, was suddenly looking up flights to Cape Town, eager to travel again.” In February 2009, they returned to South Africa, where they had initially planned to marry. Philip even played golf again. Over the next few months, they continued to travel—to Provence and the Mediterranean—embracing life with renewed vigor.
Abiraterone gave Philip almost eight months of vibrant life, a precious gift before the treatment lost its effectiveness. He passed away on Christmas Day 2009, a date as unforgettable as Philip’s large personality. For Sue, the holidays became a time of reflection and growth. She found solace by volunteering with the charity Crisis and holding onto Philip’s optimistic mantra.
Through her journey, Sue has become a passionate advocate for prostate cancer research. Her advocacy work led her to meet her now husband, Patrick McGuire, who also lost a spouse to cancer. The couple married in 2016 and continue their fight against the disease that shaped their lives.
Sue takes pride in Philip’s role in advancing cancer treatment, knowing his participation in the abiraterone trial has helped countless other men. “Abiraterone gave us almost an extra year together, filled with cherished moments. It’s a reminder that when a treatment improves one patient’s life, it touches entire families,” she says.
Philip’s legacy lives on through ongoing research and the hope it brings to countless patients facing prostate cancer.