NIPANC are saddened to learn of the passing of Robbie Brightwell MBE and extend our sympathy to his wife Ann and their family.
Robbie won a Silver medal in the 1964 Tokyo Olympics for GB in the 4 x 400 metres.
Our Chairman Ivan McMinn MBE and Robbie, both having had a Whipples Procedure following their respective Pancreatic Cancer diagnosis, had gotten to know each other well over the past three years
Ivan commented:
“Although Robbie and I had planned to meet up in England, Covid, unfortunately, stopped that happening. Robbie was a real character who was full of wit and charm and I always came off our telephone calls with a smile on my face and filled with enthusiasm. We used to joke about us not only being fellow Whipples Procedure survivors, but also fellow athletes !! – doing my four marathons post my Whipples seemed to impress Robbie sufficiently to allow us to share that joke, notwithstanding the fact that my admiration for him was huge knowing that despite all that he was dealing with he was still out running aged into his 80’s.
It was a privilege to get to know Robbie and to share with him the experiences, feelings, and symptoms that only a fellow cancer patient can share. My sympathies go to Ann and their family”
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