Michael Cox with Chilean President Michelle Bachelet
during her official visit to the UK in 2008
Very sad news that Michael Cox, head of Wines of Chile UK, died yesterday of cancer. Michael was a greatly liked and hugely respected figure in the UK wine trade.
Message from David, Michael's twin brother, and Lynne Whittaker, Michael's wife:
David:
It
is with immense sadness that I inform you that Michael’s battle was
lost last night at 5.10 pm. I feel it is easier that I copy below a
note below that his wife, Lynne,
has sent to various family and friends. I will miss this amazing man
incredibly and I can’t deny that I am in a bit of a daze. However, I
have some very special memories.
I will be in touch soon.
Dear Friends and Colleagues
It
is with great sadness that I have to tell you that Michael died at just
after 5pm last night. He was at home, as was his wish, and was
surrounded
by his close family.
His
death comes exactly 12 months to the day after his operation, and was
not unexpected. Although he underwent 6 months of chemotherapy from
April
to September, this was only ever expected to extend his life rather
than serve as a cure for his cancer. Bile duct cancer is very rare and
has a poor life expectancy, and Michael’s own experience has been
typical of the disease.
Shortly
before Christmas, his cancer returned and was found to be very
aggressive. We were told that his body would not tolerate a second
round of
chemotherapy and so he was transferred to the care of the palliative
care team. Their job has been to make Michael as comfortable as
possible over the past few weeks, and they have given us both
exceptional support for which we are truly grateful. However,
it must be said that even with a myriad of drugs, injections and blood
transfusions, Michael’s symptoms have become increasingly unpleasant and
his condition more difficult to bear in recent weeks. He has borne
every aspect of the disease with great stoicism
and forbearance, but it comes as something of a relief that his
suffering is now at an end.
As
friends and colleagues of Michael, I don’t need to tell you what an
exceptional man he was. I have been immensely proud of the way he has
tackled
his disease. He has insisted on carrying on with his normal life as far
as was humanly possible, and the medical staff have been astounded at
what he has been able to achieve. He was able to continue in his role
with Wines of Chile, and to complete his year
as Master of the Vintners’ Company (which was extremely important to
him) whilst undergoing chemotherapy, and even in the last few months,
with his health failing rapidly, he has set himself a series of targets,
each of which he has met. Incredibly, only
four days ago, he and I went to Oxford for lunch at the Cherwell
Boathouse and a spin round Oxford in his wheelchair. He was delighted
to have achieved this latest target, but it seemed to sap his last
reserves of strength and his condition has deteriorated
rapidly since then.
Michael
had been able to share his wishes with us, which were for a private
funeral for family and close friends in the next ten days or so,
followed
by a memorial service for his wider friends and colleagues within the
next six weeks. Details of both will be circulated when confirmed.
I
know you will all be very saddened by this news and I would like to
thank you all for your messages of goodwill and your unstinting support
through
the past year.
With very best wishes
Lynne
Jancis Robinson MW:
http://www.jancisrobinson.com/articles/a20140221.html
Harpers:
http://www.harpers.co.uk/news/michael-cox-uk-head-of-wines-of-chile-and-respected-industry-figure-has-died-from-cancer/354809.article
Robert McIntosh: https://www.facebook.com/groups/118872121585073/
Michael@the European Wine Bloggers' Conference in Vienna 2010
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