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Robert Peston writes about his wife's battle with cancer Robert Peston writes about his wife's battle with cancer
(5 months later)
The BBC's business editor, Robert Peston, has written publicly for the first time about the recent death from lung cancer of his wife, the novelist Siân Busby, and her courage in the face of her illness that became a "monster laying waste to our family".The BBC's business editor, Robert Peston, has written publicly for the first time about the recent death from lung cancer of his wife, the novelist Siân Busby, and her courage in the face of her illness that became a "monster laying waste to our family".
Busby finished her final novel, A Commonplace Killing, just weeks before her death on 4 September last year, five years after she was diagnosed with lung cancer – despite never having smoked a cigarette in her life.Busby finished her final novel, A Commonplace Killing, just weeks before her death on 4 September last year, five years after she was diagnosed with lung cancer – despite never having smoked a cigarette in her life.
Peston said he did not know she had completed the novel, which will be serialised by Radio 4's Book at Bedtime next month, until he transcribed his wife's handwritten notes.Peston said he did not know she had completed the novel, which will be serialised by Radio 4's Book at Bedtime next month, until he transcribed his wife's handwritten notes.
"My motive was selfish: I wanted to keep talking to her. I still do," Peston wrote in a moving preface to the novel - published this week - which was first republished in the new issue of Radio Times."My motive was selfish: I wanted to keep talking to her. I still do," Peston wrote in a moving preface to the novel - published this week - which was first republished in the new issue of Radio Times.
"The tears could not be staunched as I read, deciphered and typed. Foggy-brained, the transcription was spoilt by spelling mistakes and typographical errors. All mine. Siân's prose was as pellucid and accurate as ever. And brave."The tears could not be staunched as I read, deciphered and typed. Foggy-brained, the transcription was spoilt by spelling mistakes and typographical errors. All mine. Siân's prose was as pellucid and accurate as ever. And brave.
"Here she was, all hope lost of reprieve from the lethal cancer, reflecting on what it is like to know that death awaits on the morrow.""Here she was, all hope lost of reprieve from the lethal cancer, reflecting on what it is like to know that death awaits on the morrow."
Peston said his late wife had worked on the novel until her illness had become "excruciating and wholly incapacitating". He said in the five years after her diagnosis she had "never despaired or resorted to self-pity.Peston said his late wife had worked on the novel until her illness had become "excruciating and wholly incapacitating". He said in the five years after her diagnosis she had "never despaired or resorted to self-pity.
"Life became punctuated by terrible shocks and emergencies. Yet those who met her at pretty much any point in this ordeal encountered the Siân they had always known: solicitous, supportive, witty, insightful, unselfish."Life became punctuated by terrible shocks and emergencies. Yet those who met her at pretty much any point in this ordeal encountered the Siân they had always known: solicitous, supportive, witty, insightful, unselfish.
"The cancer did not haunt us. If anything, it helped us to understand what matters in life: family, first and foremost; work that fulfils; friends, beauty and fun.""The cancer did not haunt us. If anything, it helped us to understand what matters in life: family, first and foremost; work that fulfils; friends, beauty and fun."
By the time Busby was completing A Commonplace Killing, Peston said: "The cancer could no longer be confined to the background. It was a monster laying waste to our family.By the time Busby was completing A Commonplace Killing, Peston said: "The cancer could no longer be confined to the background. It was a monster laying waste to our family.
"Siân was being turned into an invalid, in almost unimaginable pain most of the time. For her, what was perhaps worse was that she was being robbed of her ability to take care of those she loved.""Siân was being turned into an invalid, in almost unimaginable pain most of the time. For her, what was perhaps worse was that she was being robbed of her ability to take care of those she loved."
Her husband added: "Siân was neither ready for her own death, nor reconciled to it. Very occasionally she grumbled against the palpable unfairness, but she was courageous and stoical to an extent that tested my credulity."Her husband added: "Siân was neither ready for her own death, nor reconciled to it. Very occasionally she grumbled against the palpable unfairness, but she was courageous and stoical to an extent that tested my credulity."
He said his wife had remained "poised and beautiful. She eschewed drama. Most of our friends had no idea how ill she really was. "The priority was that our boys, Max and Simon, should not be constantly bothered and worried by friends and neighbours asking for the latest prognosis on her health," he wrote.He said his wife had remained "poised and beautiful. She eschewed drama. Most of our friends had no idea how ill she really was. "The priority was that our boys, Max and Simon, should not be constantly bothered and worried by friends and neighbours asking for the latest prognosis on her health," he wrote.
The couple, who became friends as teenagers and briefly dated in their early 20s, did not resume their relationship until a dozen years later. Busby wrote five books in all, the first two non-fiction.The couple, who became friends as teenagers and briefly dated in their early 20s, did not resume their relationship until a dozen years later. Busby wrote five books in all, the first two non-fiction.
Peston said he had loved her for "most of my conscious life … It was not till we were in our mid-30s that I finally did the one really inspired thing I have ever done, (which was to ask her to live with me and then marry me). She was the most brilliant, caring, humane and loving person I have met. And funny. I miss her all the time."Peston said he had loved her for "most of my conscious life … It was not till we were in our mid-30s that I finally did the one really inspired thing I have ever done, (which was to ask her to live with me and then marry me). She was the most brilliant, caring, humane and loving person I have met. And funny. I miss her all the time."
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