He was diagnosed with the disease in 2003 and had undergone extensive treatment from 2003–2006, including 11 months of interferon therapy, which he said was "agony".
Diagnosticóuselle a doenza en 2003 e foi sometido a un tratamento intensivo desde ese ano ata o 2006, incluíndo 11 meses de tratamento con interferón, que cualificou de "agónico".