Child cancer survivors have thanked a Wishaw charity king for his help while they were undergoing life-saving treatment.
Les Hoey has been helping children with life-limiting illnesses for the past 30 years and some of those kids, now adults, have taken the time to recount their stories and memories.
In 1999 at the age of just two, Aiden Dooey was diagnosed with stage 4 Neuroblastoma, a rare cancer which mostly affects babies and young children.
A huge Celtic fan, Aiden was given the chance to meet heroes such as Henrik Larsson and John Hartson, as well as an incredible opportunity to get up close with former heavyweight boxing champ ‘Iron’ Mike Tyson thanks to Les.
After being given the all clear in 2001, Aiden, from Wishaw, has went on to raise money for cancer charities and is now a solicitor.
He told Lanarkshire Live : “I didn’t really know what was going on at the time but I know that at the turn of the millennium rather than celebrating it my parents were in the hospital with me.
“I’m a huge Celtic fan so to get the chance to meet my heroes was one I’ll never forget. I also have a great picture of me meeting Tyson. Les was tremendous with my mum and dad and they haven’t forgotten what he did.
“I used to work at Morrisons in Wishaw and would see him in there all the time. We would always have a chat, you can’t forget what he did for me and my family.”
Shanice Gemmell, from Wishaw, first met Les when she was 13 and was diagnosed with leukaemia. Now 30 and with two kids of her own, she speaks to him on almost a daily basis.
“I bought the house next door to him,” laughed Shanice.
“Myself and my partner Iain went to view and I was thinking to myself that Les stayed round here. Then I got a call from him asking if I had went and seen the house next door!
“I was diagnosed back in 2006 and someone handed my mum and dad a phone number for Les and after that I was able to get to concerts seeing Girls Aloud, Pink and Westlife.
“It really kept me going because I was in and out of Yorkhill for a couple of years getting treatment.
“I wasn’t sure whether I’d be able to have kids and was with my partner for nine years before our son Finley was born. Our daughter Elise was born in May and she keeps me on her toes.”
Louise Adams was diagnosed with leukaemia in September 2009.
She said: “Not long after diagnosis somebody mentioned about a man called Les Hoey, they had explained to me how Les helps children with cancer, or that are going through treatment for cancer and he can arrange for them to meet their favourite celebrities.
“In the first couple of years of diagnosis Les helped me so so much, the phone would ring and it would be Les and he would say if I wanted to go meet Westlife or go and see The X Factor.
“The most amazing time was when Les phoned me and asked me if I wanted to be a mascot at the John Kennedy testimonial game for Celtic.
“In my darkest days, Les helped make things that bit brighter.
“I’ve since went onto have two incredible and beautiful little girls, Layla who is seven and Hallie who is two. When I first had Layla I was only 19, I remember Les phoned me and said he had an event for kids at Blair Drummond Safari Park and I took Layla along.
“It was such a lovely moment that the man that had helped me so much got to hold my little girl.”
Calum Gillies, from Strathaven, was diagnosed with a rare form of leukaemia at the age of 13 in 2003.
A four-year battle followed in which Calum was close to death on a number of occasions and was only given a 15 per cent chance of survival.
Dad Roddy will be forever grateful for the help Les gave during his family’s darkest moments.
He said: “Going down to the consultation office was like going down the corridor in The Green Mile. Calum had a number of strokes after taking an allergic reaction to the chemo in which he lost his sight, speech and body functions.
“His nickname at the hospital was Spike because he had the highest temperature of anyone in the hospital who didn’t die.
“We are a Christian family and we were going to a youth conference.
“We prayed for Calum and thankfully since then there has been no relapses and after finishing his treatment he hasn’t been back in hospital.
“We met Les through the hospital. Calum was in isolation so to have celebrities come in to see him made a real difference.
“At the time Les was just doing it off his own back so I helped him set up the charity and became a trustee. He does a remarkable job.”
Shannon MacMillan was given the news she had leukaemia on Christmas Eve 2008 and relapsed again in January 2010.
Now 26, married and enjoying her career as a teacher, Shannon was amazed at meeting her heroes and enjoying a day out at Old Trafford, the home of Manchester United.
She said: “I just remember I had my hair cut like Rihanna and was upset that I was going to lose it.
“My brother Ross was my donor and I also had chemo which meant going through to Glasgow.
“Myself and my family got in touch with Les and I was delighted to get the chance to meet Gary Barlow and I was taken down to a Manchester United game.
“You don’t realise how much it helps you when you’re going through it. I’ve been lucky enough to do some fundraising for Les and the charity in the last few years.
“It’s been a great way to give back to him for everything he has done.”
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