Calgary golfer fighting lung cancer receives exemption into Charity Classic – Calgary [Video]

Calgary professional golfer Steve Blake is no stranger to tough battles out on the course.

But last September, ahead of a scheduled tee time, the 56-year-old learnt of a battle that changed his life.

“It was a nagging cough I had during last summer for probably a month-and-a-half or so, and just kind of kept getting a little worse,” Blake said.

“I was scheduled to play golf on this one Friday and was all dressed and ready to go, and just that morning felt like a little bit worse than it has been.

“I said, ‘Alright, let’s get in a car,’ (and I) drove to the hospital instead of the golf course, thinking that hopefully we’ll just get in and out of there, who knows, and still make tee time.”

Sixteen hours later, Blake was sitting in the emergency room and was given the news he had Stage 4 lung cancer.

“It’s one of those …