TED HALL
I have just been talking to Shirley Hall re the welfare of Ted and she reports that this attack from which Ted is suffering has been one of fairly rapid and sudden onset.
In October last year a melanoma was noticed and duly cut from Ted’s neck. This seemed like a rather straight forward course of action and by mid December Ted had started on a programme of radiation treatment. This carried on for a while until in Mid January Ted complained of shaking hands and a general weakening of the body, so went off to see the Doctor. Just within 4 months of the first discovery of the melanoma they found a tumour had formed on the brain, a situation that the doctors considered serious enough to proclaim that he probabbly wouldn’t see Christmas.
Recently Ted’s health has rapidly deteriorated to the stage where he could not expect to continue without outside help in the form of regualr hydration treatments.
Ted’s family, fully understanding of Ted’s wishes, have bravely made the decision that there are to be no more hydration treatments and are preparing for the worst possibly within a week or two at the outside.
I am sure that the heartfelt thoughts of all 87 members and their families go out to Ted and Shirley at this time of need.

secondly BLUE HICKEY

While on the subject of Cancer it seems that it never rains but it pours.
Whilst returning to Brisbane from our last reunion in August, Blue Hickey noticed a lump forming on his jaw so on return went to see the Doc as one would. What they found was a melanoma, secondary to the one he had removed from his head 4½ years previously.
Following this discovery a number of scans, biopsies etc. followed and during this concentrated search they found a massive number of tumours in his left lung, a few more tumours around the heart and a large 5.3cm one in his right lung.
Blue is now battling along under radiology treatments, having had 5 already and ten more to go in an effort to buy time.
Blue has been warned by his specialist that Christmas this year is not really something he can count on and as can be reasonably expected, he is a bit down at this very moment, but taking what is served up, on a day by day basis.
I am sure that any communications from some of us would not go astray.