Special Father's Day for Grangemouth dad as he battles rare disease

Cheryl Hogarth (34), from Stenhousemuir, was so pleased her dad Charlie Allan (64) received the Falkirk District Towns £50 gift card.

Charlie, from Grangemouth was first diagnosed with granulomatosis with polyangiitis, or Wegener's granulomatosis as it is also know, back in 2017 and it thankfully went into remission.

However, during the COVID-19 pandemic Charlie and his family were heartbroken to discover the disease, which causes the blood vessels to become inflamed, had returned.

Shielding at home, and attending hospital appointments on his own, Cheryl was amazed at how Charlie continued to put everyone else’s welfare before his own.

She said: “When dad was first diagnosed over three years ago, it was awful. Wegener's granulomatosis can be a life threatening disease, affecting the lungs, the kidneys, ears, nose and sinuses.

“We almost lost him. Finding out the disease had recurred in 2021 was heart breaking. It was a really frightening time for the whole family, especially during the pandemic with worries about going to hospital.

“The experience was made worse by the fact dad had to stay at home for so long, shielding between March and August last year, then from January to April again this year – almost a year in total.

"It was hard for him and he became really down. We video called a lot, but we missed seeing him in person. Despite it all though, dad continued to put mum, my brother and I, and the grandchildren first, telling us not to worry about him.

"Dad has had his two vaccines now and we’ve come out the other side. nominating him for this award was my way of saying thank you for everything he has done for us.”

Charlie now has his £50 Falkirk and District Town’s gift card and, as usual, is thinking of others first.

Cheryl said: “He is hoping to use his gift card to take mum out for a meal or maybe for some new clothes. When I ask him what he wants as a gift, he tells me to save my money, so he can be tricky to buy for.”

The Falkirk District Towns Gift Card Father’s Day campaign asks residents in Falkirk, Grangemouth, Bo’ness, Denny and Stenhousemuir to support local this Father’s Day, as part of a national Father’s Day campaign across the 60 plus Town and City Gift Card programmes in the UK and Ireland, which sees local dads receiving recognition, and one dad receiving a £100 Town and City Gift Card.

The Falkirk District Towns Gift Card launched in Falkirk District in 2020 and can be spent with over 110 businesses in the town, from shops and restaurants, to services and leisure, keeping money locked into the area and providing much needed support for local businesses.

Stefanie Paterson, of Falkirk Delivers, said: “The pandemic made us realise the importance of our communities, from the businesses to the people that live here. It’s fantastic to be able to give Charlie recognition for being a wonderful dad as part of our Father’s Day celebrations and a Falkirk District Towns Gift Card to spend as he chooses.”

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