Mayor Discloses Cancer Diagnosis After Online Hate Campaign

Marc Wynants, the mayor of Linter, has publicly revealed his diagnosis of prostate cancer, a decision prompted by hateful comments he received on social media. A small group of individuals accused him of fabricating his illness to gain sympathy, despite his ongoing treatment.

Wynants shared that his annual blood test results confirmed the cancer a few weeks prior. He noted that while the treatment is not causing him significant discomfort, the presence of cancer is a reality. The mayor had initially kept his diagnosis private but felt compelled to speak out due to the persistent and hurtful online attacks.

"They wrote that I was lying about being sick to gain sympathy," Wynants stated. "That small group of people has been following me for several years and leaves such hateful messages on every post. Those reactions hit me very deeply." He contrasted the negativity with the outpouring of support from around 2,000 people who expressed their solidarity, which he found deeply moving.

Despite his diagnosis, Wynants remains active, continuing to cycle and walk, which doctors say is beneficial due to his good physical condition. He is considering filing a complaint against those responsible for the hateful messages, as advised by the prosecutor. He has blocked the accounts but acknowledges that new ones can easily be created.