A widely read online journal kept by BBC science and technology writer Ivan Noble has published its final entry, after Noble grew too ill to continue writing.
Noble began the diary in August 2002, shortly after being diagnosed with brain cancer. Over the following years he chronicled chemotherapy, brain surgery, his marriage, and the birth of a son, along with a brief period of hope when the tumor appeared to be receding.
In his closing entry, posted Thursday, Noble wrote that he had composed it in advance, knowing the moment would come when he could no longer continue.
BBC Online said the diary drew an average of 100,000 readers a day. The final posting brought 300,000 visitors, many of whom left messages of support. A BBC spokesperson noted the journal had touched a large number of people, based on the volume of email the broadcaster received.
Historical summary. TurkishPress restated this AFP wire report, first published in January 2005, in its own words.