Chorley sailor gets cancer shock after achieving life’s ambition (From Lancashire Telegraph)

Chorley sailor gets cancer shock after achieving life’s ambition

10:33am Wednesday 4th August 2010 in News By Chris Gee, Reporter

A MAN who retired early to fulfil his dreams has been diagnosed with terminal cancer after completing his ultimate challenge.

Inspirational John Grafton, 62, said his plight showed that you should always take up opportunities as ‘you never know what life will throw at you’.

John, a former pharmaceutical rep, gave up work five years ago and set about enjoying his retirement with a series of exciting challenges.

He drew up a tick sheet of things he wanted to do and crossed off rafting in Nepal, buying a Harley Davison and riding it around Europe and purchasing an apartment in Goa.

But his biggest wish was to compete in the round-the-world clipper sailing race.

John, of Spring Meadow, Clayton-le-Woods, said: “I’ve always messed around in boats and when the opportunity to take part in the clipper race came up I was thrilled.”

John was the oldest member of his 10-man crew of the Jamaica Lightning Bolt, and the second-oldest in the fleet of 10 boats.

He specialised in the arduous role of operating the winch for the central sail.

“There was a great team spirit and people of all ages and from all walks of life.

“A particular highlight was on the leg from Rio to Cape Town when around a dozen killer whales swam alongside the boat. It was a spectacular sight.”

John showed no signs of illness until Jamaica left Nova Scotia for the penultimate leg of the race in June.

He said: “I suddenly lost my appetite and had abdominal pains.”

Eight days later when the team docked in Cork, tests revealed John had advanced pancreatic cancer which had spread to his liver.

The prognosis was devastating: he had between three and six months to live.

He said: “It was a huge shock as I had thought I had a viral infection.

“My wife had organised for herself and eight friends from my local pub, The Royal Oak in Whittle-le-Woods, to travel over to Cork to surprise me but I had to be treated straight away.”

John left the crew and they continued to the final destination of Hull, which they reached last week.

But John had circumnavigated the globe as he had passed the relevant line of longitude.

John said he now wished to spend time with family and friends, and has an inspiring message for people hoping to do something different in their lives.

He said: “I would say always take up opportunities as you never know what life’s going to throw at you.

“I expected to have a couple of decades more but that’s not to be.

“I think I would have had more regrets if I hadn’t retired when I did because it gave me the chance experience so many things.”