Dad putting cancer-scare leg to work

Published on Wednesday 11 November 2009 08:30

JUST a year ago, David Robertson was on top of the world.

He and his wife Kathryn were expecting their first child at the turn of the year, and all looked rosy.

But when he started to get pains in his leg and feel lethargic just before Christmas, he went to the doctor.

By the time baby Callum arrived on New Year's Day, Mr Robertson had been referred to the Western General for tests.

And just as he should have been settling into his role as a new dad, his leg began to swell and he was admitted to hospital. On 12 January he was diagnosed with a type of cancer called non-Hodgkins lymphoma.

He said: "We were a little bit worried that I might be at the Western General having tests when my wife might be at the Royal Infirmary having Callum. I was there to see the birth but it was 5 January when I was admitted to the hospital so it was an extremely difficult time, because my overwhelming desire was just to be with my wife and my wee boy."

The maths teacher had tumours in the lymph nodes at the top of his leg and in his stomach, and underwent five months of almost non-stop chemotherapy, followed by a stomach operation.

He is now fighting fit, however, and a year after he first fell ill will take part in the Bupa Great Winter Run to raise money for Maggie's Centres, which helped him survive the gruelling emotional onslaught of his illness and treatment.

Mr Robertson, 31, who teaches at St Thomas of Aquins High School, said the Maggie's Centre at the Western General made his time in hospital much more manageable. He said: "Hospital can be such a scary place, and I had so much time to spend thinking and feeling alone, and fearing perhaps that the treatment might not be working.

"What I was able to do at Maggie's was to speak to people who were trained to understand what a cancer sufferer might be going through – the frustrations, the anger, the boredom. They're absolutely wonderful. They were a fantastic listening ear."

Mr Robertson, who lives in Easter Road, hopes to raise 1,000 towards building new Maggie's Centres around the country so that others can benefit from their care. He is already in training for the Winter Run's 5km circuit around Arthur's Seat, which will be held on 9 January. The event is held alongside the Bupa Junior Great Winter Run for children aged seven to 13.

The same day, Holyrood Park will play host to the Bupa Great Edinburgh International Cross Country race, which attracts the world's best middle-distance runners, and is free to watch.

Visit www.greatrun.org, or sponsor Mr Robertson at www.justgiving.com/soxy.

&#149 www.maggiescentres.org