Rt Rev Andrew Watson, Bishop of Guildford, has revealed he has been diagnosed with inoperable pancreatic cancer.
In a letter to the diocese, Bishop Andrew said he had undergone months of medical investigations after experiencing persistent stomach pain, loss of appetite and significant weight loss. He explained that scans identified a “substantial tumour” in his pancreas, with further cancerous lesions found in his liver.
The diagnosis was confirmed following a biopsy and MRI scan in January, with doctors concluding that the cancer is inoperable. Bishop Andrew said treatment options are still being explored, but that it is likely he will undergo chemotherapy “to make life a little more comfortable”.
Despite the diagnosis, he said he hopes to continue fulfilling his responsibilities as Bishop of Guildford for the time being, with Easter serving as an initial point of review.
“These are early days,” he wrote. “At present I am hoping to be able to fulfil my responsibilities as Bishop of Guildford for a while longer, whilst recognising too that any decision we make at this point is necessarily provisional.”
Bishop Andrew described recent weeks as a “severe shock”.
“As you can imagine, the speed of events since the turn of the new year has been a severe shock to us and to our family, though we could hardly be better placed in terms of support,” he said.
“There have been tears, of course, and plenty of them (generally prompted by people saying nice things about us!); but that doesn't preclude a very real sense of God's presence in it all.”
He said the day he received the diagnosis was marked by a reading from Eugene Peterson at a Bishop’s Council meeting, which spoke of choosing hope amid uncertainty and trusting that nothing can separate believers from the love of Christ.
Bishop Andrew asked for prayers for his family, his senior team and the wider diocese during what he described as a time of “unexpected upheaval”.
“Those with great faith might wish to pray for my complete healing, and that, of course, would be wonderful; but 'cheerfully persisting' towards a good death also bears testimony to our living Lord, and St. Paul's testimony- that 'for me to live is Christ, to die is gain' (Philippians 1 :21) - is the greatest comfort of them all.
“Whatever the future holds, I remain deeply grateful to God for the journey of the past 64 years - not least for the privilege of serving as your Bishop in a diocese where the vision of a Transforming Church, Transforming Lives has been lived out in quite such a rich and joyous variety of ways.”
A Diocese of Guildford spokesperson said: “We ask that you keep Bishop Andrew, his wife Beverly, and their family in your thoughts and prayers during this extremely challenging time.”
