Britain's oldest father of twins has spoken of his heartbreak after doctors diagnosed him with terminal cancer.
Richard Roden, 75, beat bladder cancer when he was originally diagnosed with the disease in 2011.
But he learned last month that the cancer has returned and is now incurable.
He has vowed that he will battle the
disease for as long as he can so that he can spend time with his
four-year-old twin girls and his two-year-old daughter.
Devastating news: Richard and Lisa Roden are
pictured with children (left to right) Emily, Bethany, Maddison, and
Ruby, shortly after Maddison's birth. Richard has been told he has
terminal cancer
Fighter: Mr Roden, right, has vowed that he will
battle the disease for as long as he can so that he can spend time with
his four-year-old twin girls, his two-year-old daughter, and
28-year-old wife Lisa, left
Cute: Mr Roden's twin daughters Emily and Ruby,
who are now aged four, are pictured as babies. He has vowed to fight his
illness for as long as possible so he can spend more time with his
children
He told the Sunday Mirror: 'I'd
always been such a strong man and I thought I'd be around for a long
time to see our babies grow up.
'Now
I am battling cancer and may not be around as long as I'd hoped. Lisa
is worried at the thought of having to bring up the children on her
own.'
Richard made headlines back in 2009 after his now 28-year-old wife Lisa gave birth to Emily and Ruby.
The couple had met at an adult
education centre in Walsall, West Midlands, in September 2005, and
married after four years together.
Doting father: Mr Roden said that he thought he would be there to see his young daughters, pictured as babies, grow up
Oldest father of twins: Mr Roden, a retired
welder, said how people used to assume that he was the twins'
grandfather and that they didn't believe him when he tried to correct
them
As well as the twins they later had another child, Maddison, now aged two.
Mr
Roden, a retired welder, told the Sunday Mirror how people used to
assume that he was the twins' grandfather and that they didn't believe
him when he tried to correct them.
Wife Lisa's family said that the pair's marriage wouldn't last, but she said that the pair proved all the doubters wrong.
Richard was originally diagnosed with bladder cancer when Maddison was just six months old after he suffered bleeding.
Happy couple: Richard, and Lisa Roden, who met
at an adult education centre in Walsall, West Midlands, are pictured on
their wedding day
Happier times: Richard and Lisa Roden, pictured
with Lisa's daughter from another relationship Bethany, on a family
holiday in 2009
But rounds of grueling
chemotherapy and surgery at Walsall Manor Hospital looked to have been
successful, with Mr Roden initially beating the disease.
But the pair received the devastating news that he has four more tumours on his bladder last month.
Despite
another operation on the tumours, doctors have told Mr Roden that this
time the cancer is incurable, but they say they will treat him to
prolong his life for as long as possible.
Mr
Roden, who has ten other children from his previous marriages, has
vowed to carry on being a good father for as long as possible in spite
of the illness.
DAILYMAIL
1 comment:
It is a very interesting story. I hope fog th best for Mr. Roden and family What peaks my interest is that my father is the oldest recorded father of twins, he as 78 years old when my twin and were born so I can relate to this sorry. We were the last of his 15 children he died at the ag of 94, so we were blessed to have him until we were 16 years old.
Dean Lambert
Many, Louisiana
USA
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