Cancer sufferer Swayze 'may only live two years'
Swayze admits pancreatic cancer may kill him in next two years
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Wednesday, 07, Jan 2009 01:54
Actor Patrick Swayze has admitted pancreatic cancer may kill him in the next two years.
The Dirty Dancing star gave his first TV interview since being diagnosed with the disease and revealed he was "scared" and "going through hell".
However, he refused painkillers while filming his new TV drama The Beast and only missed a day-and-a-half of shooting due to his illness, Swayze stressed.
"When you're shooting you can't do drugs... 'cos it takes the edge of your brain," he told ABC interviewer Barbara Walters.
He was diagnosed with the disease in March last year with initial tabloid reports suggesting he had just weeks to live.
Though he issued a statement in December dismissing the stories as "lies and false information", he has confirmed that the prospect of his surviving for five years was "pretty wishful thinking".
"I keep dreaming of a future, a future with a long and healthy life, not lived in the shadow of cancer but in the light," he said.
The Ghost actor remains ebullient and denied reports that he is close to death.
"Am I dying? Am I giving up? Am I on my death bed? Am I saying goodbye to people? No way," he commented.
But the Golden Globe-nominated star admitted he asks himself: "Why me?"
He added: "What winning is to me, is not giving up, is no matter what's thrown at me, I can take it. And I can keep going."