(Barbados Nation) – Prime Minister David Thompson’s personal physician, Dr Richard Ishmael announced to the nation yesterday that the leader has been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.
Ishmael in a statement at 11 am yesterday said Thompson’s diagnosis was confirmed in August during his second visit to a New York hospital. At that time, he said, the decision was made to use medication and chemotherapy to shrink the tumour after which surgery was to be scheduled. Ishmael said the Prime Minister was responding to the medication and treatments.
He said that just recently, after returning to Barbados where he held a series of Cabinet meetings, Thompson developed serious abdominal pain with vomiting and doctors recommended he return to New York.
Thompson, 48, took the reins of government in January 2008 when his Democratic Labour Party swept to power.
Meanwhile, Leader of the Opposition Mia Mottley said she was “truly very sorry to hear of the Prime Minister’s condition. It is serious and clearly has proven to be more challenging than originally thought.”
She noted that there are times in the life of a nation when circumstances or events have the power to bring out the best in us all. “This is one such time,” she said. “I urge all Barbadians to continue to pray for the Prime Minister, for his family (for whom this must be a trying time) and indeed the country.
“We must always remember that our humanity is more important than anything that divides us.”
