Entertainment
Delays frontman Greg Gilbert faces ‘uncertain future’ after being taken off cancer treatment
Greg has been taken off cancer treatment (Picture: JSN Photography/WireImage)
Delays frontman Greg Gilbert says he faces an ‘uncertain future’, after being taken off treatment for stage four cancer.
The 44-year-old was diagnosed with stage four bowel cancer in 2016, and had previously crowd-funded for treatment that was unavailable on the NHS.
In a post shared on Twitter and Instagram, Greg shared that he is now solely being treated for pain relief at a hospice in Southampton.
The musician wrote: ‘This isn’t a post I ever thought I’d have to write but it suddenly seems necessary. I have, unfortunately, been taken off of treatment and am now being treated solely for pain relief at Countess Mountbatten Hospice.
‘The pains are mostly under control and the nurses here are nothing less than angels. But I’m now in an uncertain future where I don’t know how long I have and what the days will look like.’
Greg, who shares daughters Dali and Bay with wife Stacey Heale, continued: ‘I’m trying to get home for a couple of hours to see Stace and the kids, energy willing, and hope I can still find the time to create. I’m impossibly lucky to have the family and friends I do, as well as all the considerate souls out in cyberspace who I’ve never met but regularly beam me their good vibes.
‘I still believe in magic, the power of a good gesture and laughter. I want to fill the days ahead with all of these and so much more. No doubt my social media feed will return to its usual blend of drawing/painting/music/ranting about tories/Batman and cute animals. In the meantime I’m sending lots of love and thanks to you all xxx #livingwithcancer.’
Fans sent their best wishes to Greg beneath the post.
Greg was diagnosed with bowel cancer in 2016 on his daughter Bay’s first birthday, after being admitted to hospital with severe abdomen pain and vomiting.
He then found out that the cancer had already spread to his lungs.
Describing her shock at the diagnosis, Stacey wrote on a GoFundMe page: ‘Greg is an otherwise fit and healthy 39-year old man who has never smoked, taken drugs and has rarely even drunk alcohol.
‘To hear Greg ask the consultant how long he had left to live is the darkest moment of my life and something that will haunt me forever.’
In 2019, Greg’s poetry about living with cancer was chosen as part of Poet Laureate Carol Ann Duffy’s Laureate’s Choice series.
He said of his poetry book Love Makes a Mess of Dying: ‘A cancer diagnosis is so traumatic and you’re left trying to understand the new thing you’ve become and how it relates to what you were. Everything requires re-framing and poetry has allowed me to do that.’
Delays were formed in 2001 (Picture: Patrick Ford/Redferns)
More: Cancer
Greg’s artwork has also been included in The Royal Academy Summer Exhibition and displayed at Southampton City Art Gallery.
The star formed the indie band Delays in 2001 with his brother Aaron, drummer Rowly and bassist Colin Fox.
Delays released their debut album Faded Seaside Glamour in 2004 and broke the UK top 20, with singles like Hey Girl, Long Time Coming and Valentine reaching the top 40 on the charts.
Their most recent album, Star Tiger Star Ariel, was released in 2010.
MORE : Ant McPartlin ‘joked about alcohol addiction’ in groom’s speech after marrying Anne-Marie Corbett
