Published: Thursday, 21st August, 2008 17:45
I'LL DO THIS WALK FOR MY TRAGIC SON
By Eitan Grant
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A CARING dad who lost his teenage son to cancer is trekking almost 100 miles for charity.
Devoted John Delaney from Lochwinnoch took on the tough challenge of walking the West Highland Way to raise money for other young cancer patients.
John, along with friend Des Flanaghan, 49, from Northern Ireland set off on the five-day adventure last Saturday from Milngavie to Fort William.
The 51-year-old lost his 16-year-old son Andrew to cancer in 2003, and is hoping to raise as much as possible towards a new cancer unit.
John said: “We’re determined that other teenagers in Andrew’s situation are not faced with the trauma of being treated on either a children’s or adult ward.”
“Teenage Cancer Trust need to raise £350,000 to set up the new unit at Yorkhill, and I hope that we can help them do so by raising as much money as possible as a result of our walk.”
Chief executive of Teenage Cancer Trust, Simon Davies added: “John is a fantastic supporter of Teenage Cancer Trust and we’d like to wish him and Des the best of luck for the walk.” Andrew Delaney was just 14 when a biopsy was diagnosed as incurable cancer which left him paralysed from the chest down. He was sent to the Schiehallion Ward at Yorkhill Hospital, but at 6ft tall was too big for their beds.
The alternative was an adult ward of elderly patients.
Faced with this choice his parents decided to nurse him at home, where he died just before his 16th birthday.
Since his death, the Delaney family have fund-raised tirelessly to get cancer units built in Scotland .
The determined pair are hoping to raise more than £950 by the walk for a new facility at Yorkhill Hospital in Glasgow.
If built, it will care for teenagers and young people with cancer from across the West of Scotland.
An existing unit at the Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre in Glasgow treats 16 to 24 year olds and the new unit will care for 13 to 16 year olds.
To sponsor John and Des visit http://www.justgiving.com/johndelaneytct.
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