Published: Thursday, 5th June, 2008 08:30
Dying man has change of heart over treatment
By Laura Cummings
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DETERMINED: Willie Logan with five-year-old son Ewan and wife Karen
A DYING family man from Dalgety Bay who has a terminal brain tumour has reversed his decision to stop receiving treatment.
The Press reported last month that Willie Logan (44), who has between 18 months and two years to live, had decided to put an end to his radiotherapy sessions and chemotherapy tablets at the end of last month.
However, just days later he vowed to continue with the chemotherapy tablets in a bid to have as much time as he can with his five-year-old son, Ewan.
Willie told the Press that his family was the sole reason behind his decision.
“My wife basically put one thing in front of me that even I couldn’t refuse – and that’s having more time with my son,” he said.
“I don’t want to do it but again I have got to make these decisions for my wife and son. “Otherwise,” he added, “I wouldn’t really bother because I don’t think there’s much of a point. The side effects worry me – it can cause different illnesses.”
Willie – who has not told his son of his condition – will now take double the dosage of chemo tablets in one pill for five-day periods with three-week intervals.
He will begin the treatment, which is part of experimental research being conducted by the University of Edinburgh and an organisation in Switzerland, in June for around three months.
However, he will not continue with his radiotherapy, which finished around a fortnight ago.
“I’ve definitely had enough of that and I won’t be doing that again,” he said.
Willie and wife Karen (41) are planning to take Ewan to Lego Land in Windsor, Majorca and Disneyland Paris in the next few months.
Last month’s harrowing Press story on Willie’s condition has provoked a fantastic response.
Willie, an avid Pars fan, commented, “The number of people who have spoken to me from reading the Press has been really good. The number of people that have put posts on the dafc.net website and contacted me, and offered me things for the charity (Brain Tumour UK) has been really great too.”
An old friend of Willie’s who he hadn’t seen in more than five years, Rab Kirkwood, even turned up at his door on the day the story appeared in the Press and donated money to the charity, having been unaware of Willie’s illness.
Willie said, “It was fantastic for him to come. It’s fired my heart back up to make an attempt to go and watch the football again.”
Other donations include Pars memorabilia including old strips for a fund-raising dinner at the Kingdom Suite, East End Park on 12th September, and a race night and disco is being held at East End to raise funds.
The dinner is being organised by Willie’s last employer, Qfi Roofline Specialists in Dunfermline and will raise money for a trip to Lapland for Karen and Ewan in November as well as for the charity. Unfortunately, the cold weather means Willie will have to stay at home.
The event has been named The Willie Logan Dinner and is now sold out with 160 people planning to attend.
Just over half the money raised will go to the charity.
Willie underwent a gruelling five-hour operation in March which successfully removed a small part of the tumour on the left side of his brain but the remainder of the tumour is inoperable.
He suffers from a rare type of brain tumour, the most malignant grade four called glioblastoma multiforme, which affects around seven people in every 100,000.
He also has cancer in the same part of his brain as the tumour.
The charity’s national helpline number is 0845 4500 386 and the website is www.braintumouruk.org.uk
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