Isn't it ironic?

I heard an interview on the wireless this week (Radio 5 Live) with Allen Carr. Allen has just been diagnosed with lung cancer, which appears to be terminal in a short time.

Allen Carr is the giving up smoking guru, who has sold zillions of books. He gave up his 100-a-day habit, and has since spent his time and career helping others do the same.

He stopped me smoking.

It was in the mid-80's, before he was very famous. I was failing to give up, despite living with an asthmatic wife and a newborn baby. I made an appointment to see him at his nondescript terrace house in Raynes Park, London. The fee was not insubstantial (about 6 months worth of the bad habit, if I recall correctly).

I walked out of his living room about 2 hours later. He predicted that I would leave my smoking paraphernalia behind - I did. I have not smoked since. Not even a craving. I never even dream about it. I don't really know how he did it - some hypnosis was involved.

Obviously, it was some of the best money I have ever spent.

The irony is, despite decades of not smoking, lung cancer will finally take him. One terrible aspect to all this is that, having given up himself, he spent many hours in smoke-filled rooms helping other people give up.

On the radio, he sounded sanguine and fulfilled. I don't know if he will be seen as a great man. He was to me, for an hour or two in a sitting room in south west London twenty years ago.