FOREVER FRIENDS
I’ll never get over my wee brother’s death... but charity mission gives me strength
MOST teenagers are focused on school, friends and having fun.
But Darren Goudie was forced to grow up faster than his peers when his baby brother was diagnosed with cancer.
The oldest of three, Darren was just 15 when his youngest brother Brandon became ill.
And he was determined to be a support to both Brandon and middle brother Rheese, then 11.
Brandon was diagnosed with Burkitt lymphoma at the age of four and died just a year later.
Darren’s response was to throw himself into fundraising and volunteering – and now he’s on track to hit his funding target.
The 21-year-old said: “I fundraise to keep Brandon’s memory alive and I want to raise as much money as possible for Glasgow Children’s Hospital Charity.
“At the time, the Yorkhill staff were amazing with Brandon.
“It was hard being at the hospital and seeing all those different young people who had cancer and were struggling but the staff were amazing.
“CLIC Sargent was really good as well. If my mum needed a break they would take Rheese and I out and take us on different trips.
“So far I have raised over £13,000 but I just want to get to £20,000 and then calm down a wee bit.”
Brandon had been a lively, healthy wee boy but from the age of three kept falling ill stomach aches that the family GP said was constipation.
It wasn’t until a locum doctor checked him over that he was sent to the then-Yorkhill Hospital for more tests.
The family was devastated to learn the then four-year-old had Burkitt lymphoma, the most common type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma in children and known as the fastest growing lymphoma.
He was diagnosed on October 30, 2009, treated and given the all-clear the following January. But Brandon had just six weeks of remission before the cancer returned.
Darren, from Barmulloch, said: “It was a real shock, absolutely everything was going through your head, you don’t expect it to happen to a child.
“My mum stayed with Brandon all the time while my dad cared for me and my other younger brother.
“We went up every second day to stay with Brandon.
“It was a year later that Brandon died aged five. They did everything they could but it had spread to different parts of his body and there was nothing else they could do.
“We brought him home and looked after him there.”
Brandon died the day after he should have started primary school.
Darren remembers Brandon as his little best friend who loved playing on the XBox with both his big brothers and who loved dinosaurs.
He said: “Rheese was 11 so I had to be the brave one for Rheese, he was struggling as well.
“There were always the three of us and we were really closed but then suddenly Brandon was so ill.”
The family, including mum Paula and Dad William, got through the difficult time in different ways but Darren says the support of his friends was vital.
And he was also determined to keep busy, so set himself a £20,000 fundraising target for the hospital that had treated his brother.
Darren added: “I had really good support of my friends when Brandon
was diagnosed. No-one could ever tell you that you would get over it, you don’t get over it because it’s always there. I started the fundraising and was volunteering in a charity shop. That helped me get through it, you have to distract yourself.”
DARREN has held three charity nights since Brandon’s death in August 2010 and has another planned for August 12.
He has taken part in fun runs and even lost four stone in order to attempt a charity sky dive.
The college student said: “Three years ago was meant to be doing a 10,000 feet sky dive but I had to be under 15 stone to do it so I had to lose four stone. It wasn’t easy but I did it myself because I was determined. I watched what I ate, cut out fizzy juice and went power walking - and made Rheece come with me.
“We tried it four times but the weather was always bad – it was either raining or too windy or it snowed. But I’m sure I’ll still do it.”
Darren has had great support from family and friends for his charity nights, which are themed sky blue as that was Brandon’s favourite colour.
When Brandon was diagnosed with cancer, Darren was at college studying childcare.
He has since switched to sports coaching, at Glasgow Kelvin College, and loves working with young people.
Rheece is now 15 and, Darren says, doing really well at school.
Mum Paula said: “His dad and I have told him how proud we are of him. When Brandon was sick he told me he was going to die and I said, ‘No, darling, don’t be silly’. But he was right and my heart broke into a million pieces.
“Even now, five years later, I can’t believe he is gone and I will never get over it.
“But I am so lucky to have both my boys and so proud of them.”
Darren’s next fundraising night is on August 12 in St Catherine Laboure Catholic Church hall, on Lamont Road, Balornock.
For more information or to donate, email: darrengoudie.coachcore@ gmail.com