WEST Mercia’s Police and Crime Commissioner is set to have surgery after he was disagnosed with lung cancer.
Bill Longmore will go under the knife today (Friday) and is expected to spend up to a week in hospital before returning home.
Mr Longmore, who was elected to the role in November 2012, said he then intended to work from home until the end of next month while he recuperates.
He said the plan was to stay in touch with his deputy, the chief executive and chief constable of West Mercia Police and other staff members using various technologies and from people visiting him.
He added if everything went to plan he hoped to resume full-time work, fully recovered, in March sometime.
Mr Longmore was supposed to have his operation on Monday morning (January 13) but on the way to theatre his surgeon was called away so it was rescheduled.
In November, Mr Longmore underwent some routine tests and several days later received a call from his doctor regarding a shadow on his lung which had shown up on a chest X-ray.
After further investigations, Mr Longmore was given the diagnosis, over the new year, confirming he had lung cancer.
He said he could not understand why though as he had been feeling perfectly fit and well, better than he had felt in years.
And how people had been continuously telling him how much younger he looked since he became the crime commissioner.
Mr Longmore added there maybe a truth in the term ‘lung cancer can be a silent killer, if not diagnosed early enough’ but vowed to battle the disease and hold onto his position.
“I believe that I can and will recover and look forward to completing my term as Police and Crime Commissioner.
“It has always been my policy to be open and honest with the people of West Mercia who elected me.
“I also wish to draw everyone’s attention to be vigilant in the fight against cancer,” he said.
