Bee Gees star Robin Gibb believes his cancer battle and the loss of his brothers are the heavy prices he has to pay for fame and fortune.
The star, who has been battling colon cancer for 18 months, was first hit with tragedy in 1980 when his younger brother Andy died. Gibb's twin Maurice also passed away in 2003 due to complications from a twisted intestine, a condition he also suffers from.
And Gibb wonders whether his disease battle and heartache are payback for his hugely successful career.
He tells Britain's The Sun newspaper, "I sometimes wonder if the tragedies my family has suffered are a kind of karmic price for all the fame and fortune the Bee Gees have had. But we've worked hard for everything we've achieved."
However, the star insists his own health woes and his brothers' deaths have made him aware of his own mortality - and he appreciates his life all the more.
He says, "I am not and never have been at death's door. The illness, and the untimely death of my brothers, has made me conscious of the fact that - rather than just think about it - it's crucial that you do today what you want to do.
"I've got a sense of urgency about life, rather than withdrawing from it and feeling depressed.
"Now I know how precious time is, and that you can't put it in the bank. So I intend to make the most of every single second of it that I've got left."