by Thinus Ferreira
Darren Scott has died after losing his battle against stage four malignant skin cancer. He was 61.
The radio DJ was undergoing immunotherapy and made his last on-screen TV appearance last month on kykNET (DStv 144), He leaves behind his ex-wife Sarah-Kate Accetta and his sons who are living in the United States.
"It is with great sadness that we inform you of the passing of a Hot 102.7 radio legend. Earlier today, Darren Scott lost his battle to cancer," the radio station says in a statement.
"The last few months have been difficult for Darren with numerous hospital stays."
"Darren will be remembered for radio, wit, creativity and charitable work. He will be missed by all of us at Hot 102.7 and listeners across the country. Our condolences go out to Darren's boys Mark and Matthew, and the rest of the family."
Sarah-Kate Accetta says "There are no words to truly express the depth of my gratitude to every single person who donated, prayed and stood besides him during the fight of his life."
"Your generosity through the Back-a-Buddy campaign didn't just fund treatment; it gave Darren hope. It gave him dignity, and it gave him the profound gift of feeling so loved," she said about the campaign she had started last year to help raise funds for his cancer treatment.
This campaign managed to raise R515 350 for Darren Scott's medical cancer treatment bills.
Darren Scott who had presented on Capital Radio, Radio Bop, 702, M-Net, SuperSport, 5FM, East Coast Radio, Jacaranda 94.2 and Hot 91.9FM where he was heard until his death today - didn't have medical aid cover when he came back to South Africa last year two years after he had emigrated.
"I watched him, day after day, scroll through your messages in disbelief, humbled, overwhelmed, moved to tears. He couldn't believe that so many people cared. Thank you for giving him that in his final months."
Darren Scott was first diagnosed in 1986 with melanoma that he blamed on the sun.
"The last one was inside my aorta, heart," he said.
"The doctor got it out. I've never had chemo, never had radiation and just carried on with my life. I've never let it sit on my mind, never let it weigh on me - just carried on with life."
About his last cancer battle, Darren Scott said "When this one happened, I was in the USA".
"I went overseas and three months into my trip there, there was a lump under my right arm and I knew immediately in 2023 I wasn't clear. I found a lump which was a secondary to that one on my back."
