Evening Telegraph (First Edition)
Mental health nurse in bid to send young girl on a dream trip to US Disney World
— made the Cystic Fibrosis Trust its nominated charity for 2017.
However, despite his own health issues, John decided he wanted to go one step further and do more to send the Doogan family, of the Ferry, on their dream holiday.
He said: “I wanted to do something personally, having known Daniel from school so I signed up for a 10k.
“To be honest, I also needed a little motivation to get a bit fitter.
“In April 2015 I was diagnosed with kidney cancer. Aged 33 years old, this came totally out the blue and was a huge shock as I’ve always otherwise been fairly healthy.
“I was going to the gym several times a week, but all that stopped suddenly.
“I was off work for nearly six months to recover from nephrectomy surgery to remove my right kidney as the tumour was too big to remove it alone.”
John said that in August the same year he was told he was cancer free.
However, he has to go for regular checkups for the next six years and added: “Getting back to training was hard but with the help of Jayson Alexander, a personal fitness trainer from Dundee, I’m there. Having the support of family and friends and knowing I’m doing this for a good cause has really helped.
“Having cancer gave me a real knock. It’s affected my self esteem, confidence — everything about me. Yet my recovery was much shorter than most people’s who are diagnosed. I was given the all-clear a few weeks later so I know I was very lucky but the mental scars stay with you. Mostly, you feel guilt about what you’ve put your family though. I feel I’m getting back to my former self.
“Although I’m still training hard, and have another four weeks to go, I’ve lost a stone and a half, I’m eating much better and generally feeling better.
“Daniel and Elaine have been through so much, all they want is a healthy daughter. “If I can do something to give them special memories and raise money for Cystic Fibrosis that makes me very happy.
“The support has been amazing — it makes you proud to be a Dundonian.”