Barbados Prime Minister David Thompson is dead

[Cultcha]

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados – Prime Minister David Thompson has died. He was 48.
Thompson died at 2:10 this morning after battling pancreatic cancer.
His wife Mara and three children were at his bedside when he passed away at his home in St Phillip


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[Pepper]

Re: Barbados Prime Minister David Thompson is dead

Only 48 may he rest in peace.

[esp]

Re: Barbados Prime Minister David Thompson is dead

Sad indeed.....RIP

[RichD]

Re: Barbados Prime Minister David Thompson is dead



<span style="font-weight: bold">David never asked ‘why me?’</span>

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By Richard G. Ishmael | Sun, November 07, 2010 - 12:01 AM

I was asked by the media to make a statement on the death of Prime Minister David Thompson on the day of his death; but because of my close personal association with him and his family during the last several months, several days and indeed last hours and minutes of his life, I thought it more appropriate to respectfully decline.

I had already paid respects to Mara and the children, as well as to the family and friends gathered at Mapps when I left around 6 a.m. on the morning of his passing and when I visited the next day. So I thought it more appropriate to reflect on what had transpired over the last seven months before I made a statement.

As a physician, I also wanted to reflect on how David Thompson the man, who happened also to be the Prime Minister of Barbados, dealt with being told that he had a devastating illness, and then how he dealt with his illness.

I have known the Prime Minister professionally and socially for almost 20 years, but became very close to him during the last seven months, as we spent a considerable amount of time together, here in Barbados, travelling together and in New York during his illness.

When I was not physically with him we talked a lot on the phone, also communicating by email and by text messaging.

I did not know him or of him during his Combermere and Young Democrat days, as I was studying and practising in New York during that period, and only became aware of David Thompson when I returned home permanently in 1988 when he was already a Member of Parliament.

I first met him in 1991 when he saw me in my office for a consultation. It was a few months before the general election, he was about to be 30, was relatively recently married, had a young family, would probably be a minister in the next Government and wanted a check-up because he had a family history of hypertension.

I saw him on a professional basis regularly since then; and in fact when he became Prime Minister in January 2008, and again in July 2009, he had a full cardiac evaluation and comprehensive blood tests all of which were normal.

I also saw him socially on numerous occasions, but we were not close friends.

At the end of March of this year he called me and invited me to lunch at Ilaro Court. He wanted to talk about the Queen Elizabeth Hospital and the delivery of health care at that institution. It was at the end of our lunch meeting that he told me he was having abdominal (stomach) pain, that was worse after eating, and that it also occurred when he was lying down and radiated to his back and shoulders.

I told him to come and see me the next day, and after examining him and doing blood investigations I ordered an abdominal ultrasound and a CT scan of his abdomen done by my interventional radiologist colleague Dr O’Kella Ward in our office.

The CT scan revealed the presence of a suspect area at the junction of the head and body of the pancreas and what happened after that has been well documented in my address to the people of Barbados at his request on September 16.

The time spent with the Prime Minister during the last seven months afforded us the opportunity to talk extensively – not only about his illness.

We also talked about everything else, including family, sports, politics, the delivery of health care, his views on Barbados, the Caribbean and indeed the world. It was really a privilege and an education for me.

It is as his physician though, and as a cancer survivor myself, that I would like to share with you the remarkable, extraordinary and dignified way the Prime Minister dealt with his illness, and I do not intend to breach any patient/doctor confidentiality.

Once the diagnosis of carcinoma of the pancreas was confirmed, the Prime Minister, who read extensively, researched everything that he could on the diagnosis and treatment of this condition. Not only did he read about the traditional medical treatment, that is, surgery, chemotherapy and radiation; he also read up on “alternative” or “holistic” treatment.

From very early he knew what the prognosis of the condition was and chose to be extremely positive and put his trust in God.

The decision having been made to pursue traditional therapy, he then set out to do everything he could possibly to “beat the disease”, by following his doctors’ advice and having a very positive attitude.

He also spent quality time with his wife and daughters, and yet although taking a leave of absence as Prime Minister of Barbados still kept his finger on the pulse of the country.

During the time in New York when he was undergoing chemotherapy, and even when in hospital during the later stages of his illness, he read extensively. He read the local newspapers online, and bought the New York Times, the New York Daily News and USA Today daily, as well as The Economist, Time Magazine and Newsweek weekly – as he did books. He decided on which newspaper he wanted to read first, usually the NY Times, and we who were with him fitted in accordingly.

It was standard knowledge that you did not throw out the newspapers or magazines from the hotel or hospital room until he said he was finished reading them.

Not once did I hear the Prime Minister complain about his illness, nor did I hear that he complained to anybody else. He also thanked everybody, doctors, nurses, technicians, orderlies and so on who were involved in his care.

As a cancer survivor myself, who developed my illness at about the same age as the Prime Minister did – I was 50 years old and I thought at the prime of my career, and he was 48, having reached the pinnacle of his career having just been elected Prime Minister of Barbados – I would have expected him to express the “why me?” sentiment as I certainly did on occasions to those close to me early in my illness.

During one of our frank discussions in New York I brought up that topic to him: specifically if he did not think that “life was unfair” as he was only 48, had given a life of service to others and to his country, had just been elected Prime Minister and was exceedingly popular with an excellent chance of winning two or maybe three terms and leaving “his stamp” on the country, and had a great wife and three wonderful daughters and everything to live for.

I told him that it would be understandable if he felt that life was “unfair”, as I certainly had felt so at some time during my illness. His answer to me was: “Richard, I really don’t think like that. I have been extremely fortunate to have, and to have the love of a wonderful family, and to have been able to serve my country and my people.

“If fate and the Lord have it that I have developed this illness at this time of my life, there isn’t anything that I can do about it, except do everything I can to beat it. It has also shown me the kindness of human spirit as you did not have to help me, but here you are doing everything you can do to help me. I would like to thank you for that.”

I never brought the subject up again, but remembered everything he said to me in detail. Here was this young Prime Minister at the height of his career, with everything to live for, suffering a terrible disease and the side effects of its treatment, yet not feeling sorry for himself, but thanking me for being there for him, when indeed it was an honour and a privilege for me to be able to do so.

He was certainly a humble, exceptional and remarkable man, who handled his illness in the most dignified way.

Of major concern to him during his illness was what it was doing to Mara and the children, and he expressed that on numerous occasions. When he started to get weaker during the later part of his illness, particularly when we were in New York, it was not himself that he worried about; it was Mara and what this was doing to her.

Hence, I wanted to share with you the words of his New York physicians who, even though they knew him for a short time, when they heard of his passing sent me these emails.

From Dr Ira Jacobson, chief of gastroenterology, New York Presbyterian Hospital, Weil Cornell Medical College, New York, NY:

Dear Richard, I am deeply saddened by this news.

I did not know much about his politics, but it was readily apparent to me that he was a good man,

a wonderful husband and father and a great leader that loved his people and they loved him back. We need more leaders like him on the international stage and his tragic passing is a loss for the world. Please convey my condolences to Mrs Thompson.

From Dr Joseph Ruggiero, medical oncologist and director of the Solid Tumour Service of New York Presbyterian Hospital, Weil Cornell Medical College, New York, NY:

Dear Richard, I saw the sad news yesterday in the New York Times. He was an extraordinary person and we all considered it an honour to know him. Please extend my sympathy to his wife.

In his final address to the nation on September 30, the Prime Minister uttered these profound words: “While we cannot control what happens to us, we can control how we respond to what happens to us.

“In that sense I wish to assure you that my family and I are determined to battle this illness and are fully co-operating with the medical teams, here and in New York, to ensure all that is humanly possible is done to arrest and reverse this condition, while humbly recognising that ultimately the will of God will prevail.

“We are well aware that the future of us all rests in the hands of the Almighty. In the recognition of this truth, I continue to solicit your intercession and prayers.”

Subsequent to this, the Prime Minister returned to New York for the final round of chemotherapy, as he was determined to do everything humanly possible to battle this disease (even though the chemotherapy made him feel ill), and while he could not control what happened to him, he controlled how he responded, battling to the end and never giving up. He did so with absolute pride and dignity.

Mara Thompson is a caring and wonderful woman, and David could not have asked for a more loving and dedicated wife. From the time he became ill she virtually never left his bedside.

She was a tower of strength for him and travelled back and forth between Barbados and New York with him, attending every consultation, every investigation and every treatment.

She had to balance this also with being a mother to three young daughters and all that that entailed, and had to be strong for him and them never being able to show her true emotions.

On the one occasion that she needed to leave him in New York to attend an important function with one of her daughters and his therapy was still ongoing, it was agreed that I should be there as she would not entertain leaving home alone.

Sir Kyffin Simpson was a true and dedicated friend to the Prime Minister, flying him between Barbados and New York on a regular basis in his private jet, sometimes at very short notice without a thought or consideration of cost or inconvenience to himself.

On the morning of October 22, I went to the Prime Minister’s home at Mapps and spent about three hours with him. We chatted. He said he wanted to go into his study which is adjacent to his bedroom and he did so, walking there on his own.

He sat in his reclining chair in front of his desk surrounded by his numerous books neatly packed on the bookcases that occupied three of the four walls, along with pictures and clippings and posters of important events. There also was his “sound system” and his expansive collection of CDs and “his” music was playing softly in the background.

The telephone rang. He said: “Turn off the phone” – which I did. He clearly wanted no more phone calls, as he got up himself, reached behind the desk and unplugged the phone and the connection from the jack in the wall.

That is where I left him on Friday morning around 10:30 and went to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, and then my office.

Around 8 p.m. that night on my way home I got a call from Mara. Dave was agitated and asked for me. I was a few minutes from home, so I stopped home, had a quick bite and drove to St Philip. He was sitting on the edge of the bed (his favourite position); he said he was tired (the first time he had said that). He lay back in the bed and rested.

His loved ones Mara, Misha, Oya and Osa and his sister Liz surrounded him. His mother Margaret joined later. Annette his night nurse and I were the only two outsiders. Then a remarkable thing happened: the Prime Minister started to talk.

He gave a political/rallying speech to his troops right there from his bed. Mara and I were not quite sure whom he was talking to, but he was thanking people for all their support and urging them to carry on his plans and policies. This went on for about an hour and a half, and was uttered very softly and in a low tone; so we were not able to decipher a lot of his words.

At about 11:30 p.m. he stopped talking and had a peaceful look on his face. His breathing started to get shallow and his priest was called, who came and gave him his last rights.

With a smile on his face the Prime Minister ceased to breathe at 2:10 a.m. on October 23, succumbing to the will of the Almighty.

This ended the life of a truly remarkable and great man. He had lived a life of service to his country and had accomplished his lifelong ambition to lead this country and was very popular.

When struck down in the prime of his life with a fatal illness, he handled it with the utmost pride and dignity, never complaining and fighting it to the end.

It has been my distinct honour and privilege to have looked after the Honourable David John Howard Thompson, QC, MP, Prime Minister of Barbados.

May he rest in peace.

Richard G. Ishmael, personal physician of the late Prime Minister David Thompson.