After losing his son James to cancer in 2020, actor Robert Redford expressed his “unfathomable” grief. Given that Redford outlived two of his four children, we examine the illness that claimed Redford’s son at the age of 58 and the effects it had on Redford and his family.
The Oscar and Golden Globe winner, who can be seen in Captain America: The Winter Soldier, which airs tonight on BBC One, lost his first child in 1959 when his ex-wife Lola Van Wagenen gave birth to baby Scott, who passed away two months later from sudden infant death syndrome.
The grieving couple later had three more children, namesake Shauna, Amy, and James, and they suffered significant loss. Redford’s second son passed away in 2020, this time from liver cancer, causing him to endure an even greater tragedy.
James, like his father, was a filmmaker and activist who had experienced liver problems since he was a young child due to a rare auto-immune disease called primary sclerosing cholangitis.
In the 1990s, his condition required two transplants, and he passed away while awaiting a third. According to reports, the malignancy was reportedly found during a screening before the transplant.
At the time, a representative for his father stated, “The pain is unimaginable with the death of a kid.”. Jamie was a loving son, husband, and father. His children, artwork, films, and steadfast enthusiasm for environmental preservation and protection continue his legacy. “.
Inspired by his life’s journey, James founded the James Redford Centre For Transplant Awareness in 1995, intending to make movies to inform people about transplants.
The Kindness of Strangers, a documentary about the effects of transplants on donors, recipients, and their families, was subsequently produced with his help in 1999.
Others contend that James died of bile duct cancer, despite most publications claiming the singer died of liver cancer.
According to the Salt Lake Tribune, “the cancer was found in his bile duct in November as he was waiting for a liver transplant. His previous liver condition had reappeared two years earlier. “.
The term “liver cancer” is not incorrect, however, because the condition still affects the liver.
The NHS states that another name for bile duct cancer is cholangiocarcinoma. The primary function of the bile ducts is to carry bile from the liver, so the location of cancer within the bile ducts, its size, whether it has spread, and the person’s general health all affect how serious it is.
Dr James has a chronic disease that causes bile duct inflammation, according to Mintallah Haider, a medical oncologist with the Moffitt Cancer Center’s Gastrointestinal Oncology Unit. This increases James’ risk of developing bile duct cancer.
Everyone, however, is susceptible to bile duct cancer because its cause is unknown. You should seek medical help as soon as possible if you or someone you know experiences any symptoms.
It should be noted that symptoms are common and may be caused by several different illnesses. They are not always a sign of bile duct cancer, even if you have them. It is crucial to have them examined by a doctor as a result. This is because early detection facilitates treatment if cancer brings them on.
When you go to the doctor, you might get a blood test or be referred to a specialist in the hospital for more tests if the doctor thinks the issue needs to be investigated further.
Problems with nearby organs like your pancreas, gallbladder, or liver can be found with the help of ultrasound, CT, or MRI scans.
Depending on the particular situation, a recommended course of treatment for bile duct carcinoma will be given. Although the treatment may be challenging, bile duct cancer is frequently curable.
Complete removal of cancer during surgery is occasionally necessary. Usually, early-stage cancers that have not spread are the only ones that receive this treatment. In cases where cancer has advanced too far, surgery can help manage symptoms.
One more way to kill cancer cells is with radiation. It is common practice to treat bile duct cancer with high-energy radiation rays, primarily to help manage and treat symptoms of advanced malignancy.
