Diagnosis: Reality Check

By Brianne Moore

When a loved one is diagnosed with a major illness, your life changes; in some cases, very drastically and very quickly. That’s a lesson award-winning Dr. Who writer Russell T. Davis has learned recently, when his partner of 12 years, Andrew Smith, was diagnosed with brain cancer.

Smith was diagnosed while he and Davis were visiting their hometown of Manchester, England. The two decided to remain in the UK to be closer to family and friends while Smith underwent surgery and radiation. That meant giving up their life in Hollywood and shelving a new show Davis was working on for premium network Showtime.

Davis has put his entire career on hold to care for his partner full time, relying on the pair’s savings to pay the bills. This isn’t an option that everyone has, but for Davis it wasn’t even a question. “It was a simple decision,” he tells Britain’s The Daily Mail. “He’s more important. Who [cares] about writing scripts if I can stay home with him and make his day a bit happier?”

Davis’s love and loyalty are commendable, though surely it must have been a tiny bit difficult to adjust to this change. Adjust he did, though, just as everyone faced with this kind of situation must. He clearly knows what’s important in life—not success or money, but family.  It’s a situation that many people in this situation learn, famous or not.

Did you have a loved one with a serious illness? What sacrifices did you make for them? How did your life and your relationships change? Share your stories in the comments below or in our Patient Voice Community.