Mr Crockford said he was so concerned about what could happen during his wait, he was considering spending £15,000 of his life savings on private treatment.
He added: “That’s my kids’ and my grandkids’ inheritance. Why should I have to pay that when I’m supposed to get free NHS treatment?
“But, to stay alive, I think I’m going to have to.”
Mr Crockford, who married his wife Tina in October 1966, said he was worried he would not survive to see their diamond anniversary.
Through tears, he said: “My next target is going to be reaching our 60th anniversary. We’ve done 58. I don’t know if I’ll get to 60.”
The NHS target for 92% of patients to begin treatment or be given the all clear within 18 weeks has not been met since 2015.
The waiting list currently stands at 7.5 million, with more than 3 million having already waited longer than the 18-week target.
Sir Keir Starmer said he plans to reduce the number of long waits by nearly half a million over the next year by increasing the amount of NHS hubs and encouraging greater use of the private sector.
