Businessman who died of cancer left the NHS hospital that treated him £10MILLION after selling collection of Brough Superior bikes to chat show host Jay Leno
The money will give thousands of patients easier access to vital treatment
A MILLIONAIRE who died of cancer left the NHS a staggering £10 million – after selling his prized collection of bikes to chat show host Jay Leno.
Businessman Robert White sold his vintage Brough Superior motorbikes to the American celeb for £3.5m and donated the money to the cancer unit at Poole Hospital in Dorset.
Generous Mr White had been so impressed by the dedication of staff he vowed to help them by selling his vast treasure trove of vintage motorbikes and cars.
London auctioneers Bonhams will sell the remainder of his classic bikes, cars and watches for an estimated total of £3m.
The remainder of the £10m windfall will come from the sale of properties and assets owned by Mr White.
The money – the equivalent of five per cent of the hospital’s annual budget – will help build a new cancer wing with state-of-the-art facilities.
Chat show host Leno said he got to know Mr White through their shared passion for Brough motorcycles.
He said: "Robert and I spent time together in England before he died.
"He didn't feel sorry for himself or 'woe-is-me'. He realistically faced up to his position and decided he wanted to give something back to the people in Poole Hospital who had helped him with his illness.
"They say that you should never be possessed by your possessions; but Robert took more pleasure from his possessions than any man I have ever met.
"The evening ritual of winding his George Daniels watch, for example, was an active delight to him as an opportunity to take pleasure in its mechanism."
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Mr White died last November aged 62 from a rare form of cancer known as neuroendocrine tumours (NETs).
He made his money in photography and it is hoped that The Robert White Cancer Centre in his name will be open by December 2017.
The money will be used to build new cancer facilities at Poole and a dedicated satellite centre at the Dorset County Hospital in Dorchester.
It will give thousands of patients in the west of the county easier access to vital treatment.
Dr Mike Bayne, a consultant oncologist at Poole Hospital, treated Mr White until his death.
He said: "I am speechless. To have such generosity shown to us is fantastic. It is a huge amount of money.
"Before he died he handed over a cheque for £3m.
"We have been working with the executors of his will who are also close personal friends of his to ensure we will spend the money in the way that he intended which is to be used in the way the NHS was unable to afford.
"The impact that Mr White's incredible generosity will have on patients facing cancer in Dorset cannot be overstated.
"This lasting legacy will continue to benefit patients and their families for years to come.
"Robert White will forever be associated with advances in cancer care in the county, and on behalf of our patients I would like to express our heartfelt thanks."
Some of the classic motorbikes that will be sold by Bonhams include a 1929 Megola 640cc worth £140,000 amd a MV Agusta 500cc worth £100,000.
The cars featured in the collection include a 1930 Bentley Le Mans-style Tourer estimated at £550,000.
Malcolm Barber, co-chairman of Bonhams, said: "Robert White was a great man and an enthusiast of all things mechanical.
"The sale is a showcase of his life's passion, with more than 500 lots set to raise more than £2 million for charity.
"The collection is the result of a life's passion for photography. Robert was the founder of one of the UK's leading photographic retailers –and his adoration for motorcycles. We're delighted to be able to offer this for sale, and for such a great charitable cause."
Mr White founded Robert White Photographic Limited in 1982 in a small shop in Poole, before growing the business into an international success, with customers from all over the world.
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