Football is not as important as life and death...

...Some people would argue it is much more important than that.

Those people would be wrong.

One person more qualified than most to vouch for that fact is Sir Bobby Robson. He was first diagnosed with the deadly disease back in 1992, and has since gone on to fight off Cancer four times. However his latest fight, his fifth, he has readily admitted could well be his last.

Last year Sir Bobby was diagnosed as having Lung Cancer, and initial newspaper reports suggested he had only months to live. However one year on he is still fighting strong and has managed to raise more than £500,000 for Cancer charities in the North East of England.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/article3646265.ece

He has spoken of how he wants to make the treatment of the disease in his native North East not only the best in the Country, but also the best in Europe.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/international/article5774695.ece

I am lucky enough to be able to say I have met the man, who is one of my all time heroes. He is a truely remarkable man and always comes across as likeable and approachable. Indeed, it is a testiment to him that after a lifetime of hard work in such a vicious, competitive and unforgiving industry as football is I cannot remember a single person ever having a bad word to say about him.

His personality is enchanting and it is amazing to see that even in these hard times of battling a life-threatening disease he still has a sense of humour, as he points out about his battle: "I've had longer than a football manager".

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/7901685.stm

So, at a time when the Country mourns two other much loved celebrities who have succumbed to Cancer themselves in the last fortnight - Jade Goody and Wendy Richards - it is important that we do not forget the white knight of Tyneside and continue to support him as he strives not only to survive his own latest battle, but also to help other less fortunate people at the same time.