Published: Wednesday, 19th December, 2007 08:30
Festive joy for cancer couple
By Hamish Hutchinson
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FAMILY CHRISTMAS: Sarah and Brian Lockie, with their son Callum.
Pic by: Jan van der Merwe
CHRISTMAS will be extra special this year for Sarah and Brian Lockie.
It is their son Callum’s first Christmas – one that only two years ago they thought would never come.
In February 2005 Brian feared the worst when doctors diagnosed him with testicular cancer.
However, after a successful operation to have the cancerous tumour and testicle removed, he has gone on to make a good recovery.
Then last year the Alloa couple received more good news – Sarah was pregnant – after they feared that the disease had robbed them of the chance to conceive naturally.
Wee Callum was born in June weighing 8lb 14oz and he has been doted on by his parents ever since.
Brian said, “He’s been brilliant. We get 12 hours sleep every night. Every morning I just lie there listening to the monitor hearing him blowing raspberries.”
Sarah added, “He wakes up a happy baby and goes to sleep a happy baby.
“He’s fascinated with everything. For his age he’s a quick learner and he’s very vocal – he takes that after his mum!”
With Christmas just around the corner the couple are delighted to put their past worries behind them.
Sarah said, “I used to get the tree up on the 1st and Brian refused every year, but this year he was the one getting it out and putting it up.”
Brian added, “I put up the lights and lay down next to it with Callum and his wee face was all lit up.”
Latest figures show that there were around 1855 new cases of testicular cancer diagnosed in the UK and around 185 in Scotland.
A total of 74 of those UK cases resulted in death with just eight in Scotland.
In May the Lockies organised a charity fishing competition to raise awareness of the disease and raised £2270 for Cancer Research UK.
Since then Brian has been surprised by the number of people that he has come into contact with that have had similar problems.
Brian added, “It’s surprising the amount of people out there that don’t discuss it. A couple of people came up to me and told me they’ve had, maybe not the same thing, but had something done.
“We hope to do more charity work to raise awareness of the disease but maybe not next year.”
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