Courageous, brave, determined and, most of all, inspirational is how I would describe my dad.
1991 was the year he was diagnosed as having a brain tumour, aged just 33, and for 16 years he battled. Sadly, he was admitted to hospital on 19 June 2007 as one of his scars had broken down from his first operation and fluid was leaking. He then battled against the hospital superbug, Clostridium difficile , and meningitis before losing his life on 5 September 2007 owing to a pulmonary embolism.
I could write pages and pages about my dad's treatment, the operations, the radiotherapy, the endless bouts of chemotherapy and side effects … but I won't, my dad never used to dwell so neither shall I.
Instead, I will simply say how proud I am of my dad who carried on with life to the best he could. There was nothing more my dad loved than to go down the pub and socialise with friends and family, to carry on with life to the very best he could and to cherish each day.
At dad's funeral we asked for donations to be made to Brain Tumour UK and I am proud to say we raised £396 for Brain Tumour UK, a day I hasten to add was a celebration of his life and which my family and I thank everyone who attended for making it so special.
Dad will be sorely missed by everyone, but I know he is looking down on us all.
Lots of love for ever
Your daughter Rebecca
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With much love also from his wife Jan and son Matthew, his son-in-law Paul, mom and dad Joyce and Bill, his brother Bryan, sister-in-law Becky, niece and nephew George and Alice, and also his many friends - to name a few, Carole, John, Mr Millington(!), Curly Kate (aka daughter no.2), Chris, Shaun, Sam and Mr Parkes.
