Ballesteros Tells Fans Not to Feel Sorry for Him Over Brain Cancer

Spanish golf legend Seve Ballesteros has said that no one should feel sorry for him because he had brain cancer, and added that he had a good life.

Ballesteros shaven head bares the massive scars from 19 hours of surgery on his malignant brain tumour. His throat is ravaged by a tracheotomy wound after collapsing at Madrid airport a year ago.

His frail body has been weakened by an extensive course of chemotherapy. He has lost 75 per cent of vision in his left eye and has a limp in his left leg, news.com.au reports.

Ballesteros still has the heart of a lion and the same ferocious willpower that won him three Opens, two Masters and a total of 91 tournaments during his glittering career.

In an extraordinary interview to be screened on BBC1 on Wednesday night, Ballesteros makes this emotional plea to his fans:

"I am sure people will feel sorry or maybe cry when they see this programme. But I don't want people to feel sorry for me. I have had a good life. I've been the luckiest person in the world and am very happy. Throughout my life I have had so many great moments that I feel I have lived two or three lives more than the average person," he said.

"I have had so much fun for so many years that this thing that has happened to me is only very little compared to other people who have tougher times. They don't have the opportunity to live a life so intense and as good as I did. So, thank you very much. I love you all from my heart," he added.

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In the 40-minute documentary, Ballesteros also reveals how golfing veteran Tom Watson has inspired him to make a comeback at St Andrews; He has pushed his chemotherapy-ravaged body round the indoor swimming pool at his Spanish home 12,000 times as part of his exhausting rehabilitation; He stole his two winning green Masters jackets from Augusta; He suffers from loneliness following his divorce from wife Carmen.

Source-ANI
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