Martijn Krabbé (56) has been out of action for a year due to the cancer diagnosis that turned his life upside down, but now shares his real status. “I am in the final stages and with no chance of recovery.”
It seemed to the general public that Martijn Krabbé was on the mend, but the cancer diagnosis that hit him last year was much more serious than the general public previously thought. He and his daughter appear in a major interview in the latest LINDA. and in it the RTL 4 presenter says that he will never get better.
Thailand
It all started on holiday in Thailand, says Martijn. “I had been suffering from pounding headaches every day for a month, but no alarm bells went off. I thought I was just overworked, under too much stress. So ‘just take a nice holiday and then it will pass’. But in Thailand, after a few days I suddenly couldn’t talk anymore.”
He ended up in a hospital on Ko Samui. “In the hospital it turned out that I had had a brain hemorrhage, which meant I could no longer speak. That still bothers me sometimes. I have always been good with language, but now I have to regularly search for words, which is very tiring.”
Metastasis
Twenty-four hours later it turned out that something was really wrong. “The brain haemorrhage arose from the metastasis I have in my head, originating from my right lung lobe. In other words: I just had full scale cancer. Metastatic lung cancer, in the final stages. But I still couldn’t talk, was in a kind of shock and was immediately taken to the ICU.”
The immunotherapy that Martijn is receiving is ‘really successful’. “The cancer in my right lung, which manifested itself quite extensively, is quiet. And due to the treatments, spots are even disappearing. But yes: it can no longer be cured. That is of course a shame. And yet there is much to be very happy about.”
Five years
Every six weeks Martijn hears whether the immunotherapy is still working. “If that is not the case, a chemo program will follow and then there is a morphine option. So that all takes about two years and if you’re lucky, you can stretch it a bit. Who knows, until about five years old. But okay: it is guaranteed to the front door, that is.”
Martijn tells us Instagram that he deliberately kept it a secret for a while. “We’ve kept it a secret until now. There was a good reason for that. It’s not nice when other people start speculating about your life expectancy. But Deborah, the children and I have now reached the point where we can handle that mentally.”
Showpers
Martijn also has a comment about the show media. “Furthermore, a word of thanks to my colleagues from the show press. The respect for our privacy was and is highly appreciated. And of course my amazing army of followers who have supported me so much with encouragement and, above all, lots of love.!”
“Finally, a word of thanks to my family. You are exceptionally brave, even though I am asking you to make a gigantic sacrifice. How fortunate I am, dearest Achilles, Jasmijn, Michelle and Bickel!!! But to whom I am most indebted is my wife Deborah. You turn out to be the love of my life. For better or for worse!”
The shoot for LINDA.: