Ivan Noble (June 1967 – 31 January 2005) was a
British journalist who worked for
BBC News Online
BBC News Online is the website of BBC News, the division of the BBC responsible for newsgathering and production. It is one of the most popular news websites, with 1.2 billion website visits in April 2021, as well as being used by 60% of the U ...
, and became well known for his diary documenting his fight against cancer.
Born in
Leeds
Leeds () is a city and the administrative centre of the City of Leeds district in West Yorkshire, England. It is built around the River Aire and is in the eastern foothills of the Pennines. It is also the third-largest settlement (by populati ...
, he lived in
East Germany
East Germany, officially the German Democratic Republic (GDR; german: Deutsche Demokratische Republik, , DDR, ), was a country that existed from its creation on 7 October 1949 until its dissolution on 3 October 1990. In these years the state ...
working as a translator between 1988 and 1990. He then joined the BBC, originally working for them as a translator, then as a sub-editor in
Nairobi
Nairobi ( ) is the capital and largest city of Kenya. The name is derived from the Maasai phrase ''Enkare Nairobi'', which translates to "place of cool waters", a reference to the Nairobi River which flows through the city. The city proper ha ...
. He later worked in the Science and Technology section of the BBC News website, where he was known for his love of complicated gadgetry.
He was diagnosed with
glioblastoma multiforme
Glioblastoma, previously known as glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), is one of the most aggressive types of cancer that begin within the brain. Initially, signs and symptoms of glioblastoma are nonspecific. They may include headaches, personality ch ...
on 29 August 2002, and wrote about his battle against the cancer on the BBC News website in a series entitled ''Tumour Diary''. Noble continued to write stories for the series until 30 January 2005, the day before he died. The tumor left him with serious
visual impairment
Visual impairment, also known as vision impairment, is a medical definition primarily measured based on an individual's better eye visual acuity; in the absence of treatment such as correctable eyewear, assistive devices, and medical treatment†...
s on the right side. In December 2004, having completed several courses of
chemotherapy
Chemotherapy (often abbreviated to chemo and sometimes CTX or CTx) is a type of cancer treatment that uses one or more anti-cancer drugs (chemotherapeutic agents or alkylating agents) as part of a standardized chemotherapy regimen. Chemotherap ...
, and after a brief
remission, his tumor started to grow again. Noble enjoyed a huge amount of public support during this period.
His final comment before his death ended with the statement "I will end with a plea. I still have no idea why I ended up with a cancer, but plenty of other cancer patients know what made them ill...If two or three people stop smoking as a result of anything I have ever written then the one of them who would have got cancer will live and all my scribblings
icwill have been worthwhile."
Noble died in a
London
London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...
hospice
Hospice care is a type of health care that focuses on the palliation of a terminally ill patient's pain and symptoms and attending to their emotional and spiritual needs at the end of life. Hospice care prioritizes comfort and quality of life by ...
aged 37. He was survived by his wife, Almut, and two children (a son and daughter).
Legacy
A book entitled ''Like a Hole in the Head'' (), which chronicles Noble's fight with cancer, was released in May 2005. A
bursary
A bursary is a monetary award made by any educational institution or funding authority to individuals or groups. It is usually awarded to enable a student to attend school, university or college when they might not be able to, otherwise. Some awa ...
was established by the
BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC
Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board ex ...
in Noble's memory; it will provide annual funding for a newly qualified journalist to work at the science and technology desk of the BBC News website for six months. The first recipient of this bursary was
Rebecca Morelle.
See also
*
List of notable brain tumor patients
A brain tumor is an abnormal growth of cells within the brain or inside the skull, and can be cancerous (malignant) or non-cancerous (benign). Just over half of all primary brain tumors are malignant; the rest are benign, though they may still be ...
References
External links
Tumour DiaryBBC writer Ivan Noble dies at 37, includes a link to a 2004 videotaped interviewIvan Noble: An appreciationAfter Ivan
reflections from his wife
Bursary memorial for Ivan Noble
{{DEFAULTSORT:Noble, Ivan
1967 births
2005 deaths
Deaths from brain cancer in England
British male journalists
Writers from Leeds