A DYING man stands to win £5,000 – after betting that he beats the record survival time for his condition.
Ex-car dealer Jon Matthews, 58, was given nine months when he was diagnosed with a rare form of lung cancer in April last year.
He was told not to bother making plans for Christmas and even shelled out £1,000 for a funeral. Doctors told him the longest survival time for the asbestos-related condition, named Mesothelioma, was 25 months.
Jon, who has a son aged 29, said: “That gave me something to cling on to. I thought, ‘I’ll beat that – and I’ll do it with a positive attitude.’ ” He kept himself busy and when the anniversary of his diagnosis passed, asked bookies William Hill for odds on living until June 1, 2008 – beating the record.
After consulting medics, Hill quoted him 50/1 and Jon staked £100.
Widower Jon, from Milton Keynes, Bucks, said: “I’m determined to live
Ex-car dealer Jon Matthews, 58, was given nine months when he was diagnosed with a rare form of lung cancer in April last year.
He was told not to bother making plans for Christmas and even shelled out £1,000 for a funeral. Doctors told him the longest survival time for the asbestos-related condition, named Mesothelioma, was 25 months.
Jon, who has a son aged 29, said: “That gave me something to cling on to. I thought, ‘I’ll beat that – and I’ll do it with a positive attitude.’ ” He kept himself busy and when the anniversary of his diagnosis passed, asked bookies William Hill for odds on living until June 1, 2008 – beating the record.
After consulting medics, Hill quoted him 50/1 and Jon staked £100.
Widower Jon, from Milton Keynes, Bucks, said: “I’m determined to live
