The Defender Editor’s Comment: We’ve often mentioned the inconclusive nature of prognosis and diagnosis. Studies linked to in our article titled, ‘Risks to the terminally ill’ showed that 75–80% of all prognoses given by a doctor are incorrect. My own stepmother was given 3-6 months to live, but experienced another 3 1/2 years of her children growing up – precious memories. Not to mention the risks of getting the diagnosis wrong. #DefendNZ Ambassador, Prof. Roderick MacLeod MNZM, a palliative care specialist, recalls the following story, “One of my first patients in palliative care was a man completely misdiagnosed. He was told he was dying... in fact, he was completely healthy.”
By Laura Hooper.
Robert Goodwin can vividly recall the day he was wheeled out of surgery at Dunedin hospital and given six months to live.
It was 1972, and Goodwin had just been flown from Gisborne to Napier to Dunedin for surgery and brain imaging after experiencing vision loss and intermittent migraines.
At just 17-years-old, he was diagnosed with a terminal brain tumour.
“Mum asked ‘what’s the verdict?’, he [the surgeon] said six months, and I said ‘no bloody way’.”
Goodwin refused to accept the life expectancy, and underwent 31 days of cobalt therapy – a treatment method using gamma rays from the radioactive isotope cobalt-60.
Although successful, his doctor warned him the tumour was malignant and could grow again.
Fifty years later, it never has.
“I went back to visit him [the doctor] about 22 years after... he was so surprised, I was just so proud to be alive.”
The treatment didn't come without side effects, due to surgery Goodwin has no side vision, and must take three different types of medication as well as an injection daily in order to keep healthy.
But Goodwin has been used to challenges since birth.
Born prematurely as the only son in a family with seven sisters, he spent his first 27 weeks of life in an incubator.
At 15, following his parents divorce, he gave up school alongside his sister Marion to get work, paying for his five younger sisters school uniforms and giving them a roof over their heads.
Although never married and with no children of his own, he adopted three of one of his sisters children out of court and has been a mentor to many others.
His younger sister, Caroline Reed, described him as nurturing, a gatherer who adored looking after other people.
“The biggest saddest thing is my brother has had amazing, out of this world relationships ... but then Robert would always say no, we can just be friends, because he never wanted to be a burden because of his eyesight ... he would have been a great dad.”
Robert Goodwin still has the scars from the surgery he had at 17-years-old to remove a terminal brain tumour. He has exceeded his life expectancy by more than 50 years with the help of cobalt treatment and medication.
Issues with his vision meant Goodwin could no longer play the sports that he enjoyed in his youth, which included football, golf and touch rugby.
It hasn’t prevented him working in hands-on physical jobs though.
He has been involved in machinery throughout his working career, including at the Ford Factory from 1982 to 1994, alongside stints as a mechanic and at dairy farms.
About 15 years ago, Goodwin and Reed relocated to Southland from the North Island to manage the Ohai Pub together, and the siblings have stayed south ever since.
Although previously owning a house in Ohai, Goodwin came across a refurbished bus about eight or nine years ago and decided to make it his home, parking up in Tuatapere.
“This is just him, he loves it here ... you can see he's happy, and as long as he's happy that’s all that matters to us,” Reed said.
It was a special moment when he realised he had made it 50 years since the prognosis, Goodwin said.
“I did have a few too many beers with a couple of mates ... I’m very proud,” he laughed.