It would mean the world to see Reds play one last time
FOREST FAN WITH WEEKS TO LIVE FEARS HIS DYING WISHES WON’T BE GRANTED DUE TO CORONAVIRUS RESTRICTIONS
A LIFELONG Nottingham Forest fan who’s been given just weeks to live fears he will not get to see his team play again because of Covid restrictions.
Steve Brough, who has terminal cancer, was told by a palliative care doctor last week he only has between four and six weeks to live.
He had hoped to book a weekend stay in a cottage in Matlock with his wife of 29 years, Amira, and to go to one last Forest home match – but this hasn’t been possible because of
the pandemic. Now he says he feels like he’s on “Death Row” because the restrictions mean he is unable to make memories during the time he has left.
The 52-year-old lorry driver, of Heanor, has received a series of videos and messages of support from Forest players past and present to lift his spirits.
But he admitted: “I have struggled to come to terms with it a little bit this week. I am more bothered about the family than dying, it upsets me more to see them suffer.
“I am dying and just can’t make any memories. Because of this Covid there is just nothing I can do.
“It’s like being on Death Row with weeks left to live while you can’t do anything. I just want to make my son’s 21st - his birthday is in three weeks.”
Mr Brough, who is known as Broughie, said he first noticed something was wrong in December when he started to struggle to swallow. On January 19, the day after his birthday, he was told he had a 5cm tumour on his oesophagus and it was cancer.
Mr Brough, who has two sons, Josh, 26, and Lewis 20, and three grandchildren, said: “The cancer was stage four. It had spread to my liver and lungs which are at stage three.”
He has also been told he has stage three cancer in his lymph nodes and is now too ill to have chemotherapy.
“They can’t get me any treatment whatsoever,” said Mr Brough, who grew up in Langley Mill.
“I have no more hospital appointments, the only care I get now is an end-of-life doctor. Last Friday, the doctor told me I have maybe four weeks left to live – six weeks tops.
Mr Brough, who takes morphine to control the pain he suffers during the night, struggles to eat.
He said the opportunity to watch the Reds for the final time would “mean the world”, saying: “It’s behind my wife and family, but I love Forest more than anything else.”
Speaking of the support he has received from the club, Mr Brough
said he has had messages from former players Tony Woodcock, Mark Crossley, Des Walker, Darren Huckerby, Guy Moussi, Andy Reid and Steve Chettle, as well as current players Joe Worrall and Michael Dawson, and manager Chris Hughton.
He added: “Stan Collymore has as well, he said he will give me a call.
“The messages they have sent me have been really heart-warming. They’re nice for the family to keep as well.”
His son Josh, a dad-of-three who lives in Derby Road, Heanor, described his dad as his best friend.
The 26-year-old, who works at a coronavirus testing centre, spoke about their mutual love of Forest and memories watching the Reds.
He said: “He went to Wembley three times, he has definitely had some glory days.
“I have been going since I was three or four with my dad. When I turned six or seven that is when I became absolutely football obsessed.
“My dad got me my season ticket when I was seven.”
He said it will be “heartbreaking” when he watches the Reds at the City Ground without his dad.
A spokesman for Nottingham Forest said: “This is a heartbreaking situation that the club has been aware of over the last few weeks.
“We would like to invite Steve to a match but, sadly, it would be unlawful under the strict Government regulations that enable elite sport to continue during the pandemic.
“Should those regulations be relaxed, Steve will be the first to be invited to the City Ground.
“The club has sent a series of personal videos from players and the manager to try and keep Steve in good spirits at this very difficult time.
“The thoughts of everybody at Nottingham Forest continue to be with Steve and his family.”
Money can be donated to a fundraising page set up to support the family at www.gofundme.com/ f/29scchw0eo