Within a year he was performing on stage at Middlesbrough Little Theatre.
And today he ticked another item off his bucket list by singing Something Inside So Strong backed by his very own choir in front of an appreciative crowd at The James Cook University Hospital.
Supported by The Odell Choir, the 72-year-old from Middlesbrough proudly belted out the Labi Siffre song which he says contains lyrics that reflect his own cancer battle.
“If you listen to the words they are saying ‘I am fighting the cancer’,
“The cancer is trying everything it can to bring me down, but I have something inside so strong.
“And it’s such a big song I wanted a choir behind me.”
There was barely a dry eye in the hospital atrium throughout the moving performance which saw donations collected for Trinity Holistic Centre and South Cleveland Heart Fund.
Get checked out
Terry is urging everyone to get checked out as soon as possible if they are worried about any changes to their body.
“Don’t leave it too late like I did – get checked out.”