A King’s College chorister battling a terminal disease defied doctor’s orders to stay in hospital so he could sing at the choir’s world-famous carol service.
Musical prodigy Alex Stobbs, 20, suffers from a virulent form of cystic fibrosis and his lungs and digestive system are gradually collapsing.
His lung capacity is now just 38 per cent – a level at which doctors usually recommend a lung transplant – and he has to take 50 tablets a day and oxygen at night to survive.
But against all the odds Alex sang at the recording of the Nine Lessons and Carols service, which will be broadcast to millions of people around the globe on Christmas Eve.
Alex is also hoping to be well enough to perform in the hugely popular live service on Christmas Eve, for which people start queuing for tickets at 9am.
“I have been in hospital for the last three weeks as my body just needed some time to recover,” said Alex, who is in his final year at Cambridge University.
“Doctors want me to be in hospital now but Christmas is the best part of the year at university and I wouldn’t miss singing in the choir for anything.
“My lungs certainly aren’t what they were and it’s a struggle to sing but I manage.”
Alex, who is studying music and plays the piano, originally joined King’s College choir when he was at school and left when he was 13 when he won a scholarship to Eton College. He excelled in music and moved millions when he starred in a Bafta-nominated documentary conducting Bach’s Magnificat at the college. But his health deteriorated and he almost died several times.
Alex always dreamed of returning to the choir but because of his illness he didn’t know if it would be possible. But he was determined and amazingly fulfilled his childhood ambition when he won a place at Cambridge University three years ago and re-auditioned to be in the choir.
“When I was a chorister I thought about returning but it was a pipe dream because of my heath,” he said.
“Then as time went on it started to become a more realistic dream and I am just so pleased I got into the choir.
“This will be my last year singing in the choir and I’ll be very sad to leave as it’s such a wonderful institution.
“I’m so lucky to have been part of something that has a place in history.”
Alex has been determined to live a normal student life over the past three years and has made lots of friends. But his bad health has meant lengthy hospital stays and he has missed parts of his course. Years of steroids have left him with brittle bone disease and he often uses a small electric scooter to get to travel around campus. He is also becoming increasingly deaf because of the mucus build-up. Although his lungs are getting worse he is keen to avoid a lung transplant for as long as possible.
“I’ve been really up and down but I really enjoy my time at Cambridge when I am there,” he said.
“I have had to take a lot of time out and I have found that incredibly frustrating and I miss being with my mates.
“I’ve also had to miss a lot of the choir tours which has been a shame.”
Alex, who hopes to become a conductor, is planning to go to music college in London when he graduates from Cambridge next year. He has also set up a group of musicians called Stobbs Scratch, which he conducts, and is hoping to put on a concert next term.
“Lots of people are surprised I have got this far but I am very determined,” he said.
“I’m worried about my health but I’m happy that I’m doing everything that I want to with my life.”
Stephen Cleobury, director of music at King’s College in Cambridge, said: “I am proud of all my choir, they are all remarkable.”
