Was stricken with polio at the age of 28. Despite being initially given only three months to live, Cavendish lived until the age of 64, becoming one of the longest-living polio survivors in Great Britain.
Was paralyzed from the neck down and able to breathe only with the use of a mechanical ventilator. He became a tireless advocate for disabled people, helping to develop numerous medical devices to provide them independence.
British advocate for disabled people, medical aid developer, and one of the longest-lived "responauts" in the UK.