SAS hero went to have wisdom tooth removed - and was given 10 years to live

Bob Perry, a 70-year-old SAS veteran who was given a decade to live after a wisdom tooth extraction led to a rare cancer diagnosis, is gearing up for an epic bike ride to mark the ten-year milestone. Bob, who served in the Army and the SAS before becoming a police detective investigating murders and drug deals, fell ill after retiring in 2011.

His symptoms, including fatigue, slurred speech, muscle spasms, loss of limb control, night sweats and skin issues, were initially attributed to his age and then misdiagnosed as stiff-person syndrome. However, a blood test in October 2015, prompted by a haemorrhage during a wisdom tooth removal, revealed he had Waldenstrom Macroglobulinemia (WM), a rare form of blood cancer, and doctors gave him 10 years to live.

Now, a decade later and nine years post-chemotherapy, Bob is getting ready for the Club des Cingles cycle ride. This gruelling challenge will see him ascend Mont Ventoux in southern France three times, covering 137km (85 miles) and climbing 4.5km (2.8 miles) in a single day, all to raise £10,000 for the that have been treating him.

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Bob from Poole, Dorset, said: "I was looking for something a little bit different to celebrate – first of all being 70 and still alive and secondly to celebrate 10 years after I was told I had 10 years to live. The future is bright even though a cure is not quite in sight yet – there's treatments and you can enjoy a good quality of life. I just love my fitness, it's what keeps me going."

Having joined the Army at just 17, Bob served with the Royal Engineers for a decade as a diver on underwater construction jobs, demolitions and search missions. His career path took a turn at the age of 27 when he became part of the elite SAS, with assignments in countries such as Malaysia, Canada, Kenya, Oman, and Belize.

Later on, he took his skills to the police force, working as a detective in varied crime units ranging from surveillance and intelligence to narcotics and homicide.

From his time in the Special Air Service, he reflected: "From 27 to 30 I was in the Special Air Service and you kind of convince yourself you're one of only 200 men that are going to save the planet, you're that hyped up about it all. And then all of a sudden you're nobody and then all of a sudden you're nobody with a chronic or lifelong illness."

Despite health challenges, Bob remains optimistic due to his vast experiences: "But all of that training and that experience of those different roles, I hope, made me into a positive person who can do good for people, whether that's talking to them about (WM) or trying to raise money."

Bob first fell ill in 2011, but doctors struggled to pinpoint what was wrong, suggesting his symptoms could be due to his age. He revealed that his mysterious illness stopped him from lifting his shoulders, hindering everyday tasks like putting on a coat, washing his hair or even carrying a cuppa.

"It was getting me down, I was getting into a real dark, dark place," he confessed. In 2013, Bob was wrongly diagnosed with stiff-person syndrome, a rare autoimmune neurological disorder marked by muscle stiffness and spasms.

He was treated with intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG), a therapy where antibodies are given to the immune system.

In 2015, he began bleeding heavily during a wisdom tooth extraction, prompting his dentist to advise him to see his GP about potential blood issues. After seeing his doctor, in October 2015, while in Cardiff with his wife, Deborah Perry, for the Rugby World Cup, he got the news that there were problems with his blood and he needed more tests, including a bone marrow biopsy.

This led to his WM diagnosis. Bob started chemotherapy within 48 hours of being diagnosed with WM, and recalled that the night before starting treatment he was handed a bunch of steroid tablets.

He shared that since taking them: "I've not had a twitch or spasm. My shoulder started working, everything's fine since then. It was almost like a miracle, but I don't believe in miracles. It was just incredible."

Bob has seen a remarkable improvement in his health since undergoing chemotherapy from October 2015 to April 2016, which has helped him regain shoulder mobility, eliminate fatigue, and put an end to muscle spasms, itching, and night sweats.

Post-chemotherapy, Bob hasn't needed any medication for his cancer and is under active surveillance with regular blood tests and consultant visits every three months. He last met with his consultant on April 10 and has been given the all-clear for the next six months, coinciding with the 10-year mark of his diagnosis.

He said: "(For) some people the treatment doesn't work, some people it only partially works, some people only get two years out of it. But the good thing about this particular condition is there are new and innovative drugs coming along, not to cure it, but as alternative treatments."

Since completing his chemotherapy, Bob has taken up cycling and completed a London to Paris ride in 2023 to fundraise for WMUK. This August, he's set to tackle the Club des Cingles challenge, aiming to conquer Mont Ventoux in France three times in one day, covering 137km (85 miles) with an ascent of 4.5km (2.8 miles).

Bob is aiming to raise £10,000 for the University Hospitals Dorset Charity. Half of the funds raised will go towards the quiet room in the Jigsaw Building at Bournemouth Hospital where he receives treatment, while the other half will be used to support the cardiac services of University Hospitals Dorset. Bob plans to complete his bike ride on either August 27 or 28, just two weeks shy of his 71st birthday.

Since falling ill, Bob has become heavily involved in charity work. He volunteers for WMUK, serves on the board of trustees for the International Waldenstrom's Macroglobulinemia Foundation (IWMF), and co-runs a veterans' charity named the Bournemouth Above and Beyond Trust.

His cycle ride will be supported by Mark Wratten and Andrew Woods, two bike shop workers from Trek Bicycle Poole whom he met while organising his veterans' charity rides.

Bob also has other cycling-related fundraising ideas up his sleeve, such as hosting a pub quiz night whilst on his bike, and cycling for three hours on a roller in the receptions of both Poole Hospital and Bournemouth Royal Hospital. For more information, visit Bob's JustGiving page.