Happy birthday, Arran... I just wish you were here to see it
Friends and family gathered to mark what would have been Arran’s 16th birthday. straightforward operation but, unfortunately, the tumour was much worse than the scan had shown.
“They would never have operated had they known the extent of it,” Alison said. “We believe it had been growing for four years.”
Arran slipped into a coma and his dad rushed home from Australia, where he was working.
The life support machine was turned off in the early hours of Friday, June 7. He had only gone to the opticians the previous Saturday.
Arran’s parents and sisters threw themselves into setting up a charity, The Smile Of Arran Trust, soon after he passed away in June 2014.
Already more than £ 80,000 has been raised, thanks to a constant flow of fundraising events organised by many of those who knew and loved him.
Big-hearted Arran began fundraising when he was just 11, inspired by his Aunt Kerry, who had successfully fought breast cancer.
“Keeping busy with the charity
Proud mum Alison with Arran, her “likeable, lovable little son” and, left, with dad Steve and sisters Chloe and Abbie. work helps, as does helping others, because that’s what Arran aspired towards,” said Alison, who gave up hairdressing to run the charity, and has just been nominated for a Pride Of Britain award.
“I have strong faith and I feel as if Arran’s guiding us and is still very much around.
“There are some days I don’t even want to talk about the charity because it’s too raw, but then I’ll think of him tapping me on the shoulder and saying, ‘ Come on, Mum’. He never felt pity.”
More money was raised at Fr i d a y ’s party and, just as importantly, extra memories were created by his friends and family.
“I knew he was a popular boy and there was something really special about him,” Alison smiled.
“Everyone said so. He was such a likeable, lovable little person.
“We hired a function suite at a local pub, had a disco and balloons and a cake with candles.
“Arran was a Celtic supporter, so my friend made a Celtic cake.
“The majority of the evening was fun but some of it, like when we blew out the c a n d l e s, w a s emotional.”
The family moved to Suffolk several years ago but still have lots of relatives in Thornhill, near Dumfries. Arran also spent two years at primary school in Dumfries when the family moved home for a while.
Alison, Steve, Chloe and Abbie will privately mark Arran’s 16th birthday on September 27.
“He was a wee angel, who did all he could here and then realised he could do more in h e a v e n ,” Alison added.
“It’s overwhelming to see how many people want to help and are affected by his passing.”
For more info or to donate, go to smileofarran.org THE Smile Of Arran Trust has donated £25,000 to Clic Sargent this year.
Money also goes to music therapy sessions, Brain Tumour Research and for a child to go to Lourdes every year with the HCPT charity.
Alison said: “We give £150 grants to families. I tell them to use it for whatever they need.
“We have an annual Arran Walk, where we walk round the island – made £10,000 this year.
“Arran grants have gone all over the UK and Ireland.” ARRAN loved music and he and his pals had a band called The Stopclocks.
They recorded five songs to raise money for Cancer Research and busked for charity.
“Arran had guitar lessons but didn’t have the patience to read music. He loved AC/DC and wanted to learn their songs, so he taught himself,” Alison said.
“He and his two friends are now in the final vote at the BBC Radio 1 Teen Awards for their charity busking.
“It’s great we have his voice there but I don’t play the songs all the time, it depends how I’m feeling.
“If I’m having an uplifting day, I’ll put them on.”