Football fan backs cancer campaign in memory of his father

LEG WAX: Saints supporter is raising funds for research into disease

A Perth football fan whose father died just months before their team won the Scottish Cup is backing a campaign to raise funds for vital research into cancer treatments.

Shaun McVean was heartbroken after his father, David McVean, lost his battle with bowel cancer aged 56.

The pair were St Johnstone season ticket holders and some of Shaun’s earliest memories are of attending matches at McDiarmid Park.

It was an emotional day for Shaun when St Johnstone won the first major trophy of their 130-year history after beating Dundee United in the cup final in May 2014.

Shaun, 24, said: “My dad had always joked that St Johnstone would finally win the cup after he died and that’s exactly what happened.

“Dad would have loved that Scottish Cup victory. If I can do what I can so others have a victory over cancer then I hope I’ll have done Dad proud.”

Shaun is backing Stand Up To Cancer and has teamed up with friends Alex Johnstone, 26, and Chris Cullen, 26, for a sponsored leg wax tomorrow.

Shaun was studying history and politics at Dundee University when his father was first diagnosed with bowel cancer and despite chemotherapy treatment, he died at Cornhill Macmillan Centre in Perth.

It was a devastating time for all the family including Shaun’s mother, Moira, and sister, Susan, now 19, but Shaun was stunned months later on December 23 to receive a 21st birthday card from his father.

Shaun said: “I’ll never forget that moment on my 21st birthday when mum handed me a card from dad.

“Dad had written it about two weeks before he died and given it to my mum to keep safe until my birthday.

“The card said that he was proud of me and loved me. I’ve kept that card and I’ll treasure it.

“I miss dad all the time.

“I’m determined to Stand Up To Cancer so other families don’t have to go through all we did. I want to raise money to help save lives.”

Stand Up To Cancer aims to accelerate the translation of scientific discoveries into innovative cancer medicine, tests and treatments.

If I can do what I can so others have a victory over cancer then I hope I’ll have done Dad proud. SHAUN MCVEAN

Picture: Mark Anderson. From left: Shaun McVean and his friends Chris Cullen and Alex Johnstone all work in the Cancer Research UK superstore at Linwood, near Glasgow.