A dedicated son is turning to the generosity of the public to help his RAF veteran dad recover from surgery to remove a brain tumour - and tick an ambitious dream off his bucket list.
Steve Allison, from Norwich, has launched a Go Fund Me page to help his father, Colin, as he prepares to have surgery for the second time on a brain tumour which is pressing on his spinal cord.
The donations page - which has a target of £9,000 - will help fund his move to an adapted bungalow, cover costs for his funeral, if the worst case scenario happens, and tick one thing off his bucket list: A flight in a twin-seater Spitfire.
In his previous surgery, back in 2008, the tumour’s location at the base of his brain meant surgeons were only able to remove around 90pc. After intensive radiotherapy, growth stopped and for 12 years was totally dormant.
But last December, Mr Allison felt the symptoms of the tumour return, feeling groggy and losing strength in his muscles. He was due to have an MRI, but it was cancelled amid Covid-19, and rescheduled for July.
In September surgeons realised the tumour had grown - by 300pc since the last routine scan in 2019.
His son said: “It is hard knowing he had been suffering, because last time it left him so ill, it was so worrying for us.
“When he told me, at the end of January, I just sat and cried for the best part of a day.”
His first surgery in 2008 left Mr Allison considerably underweight and led to muscle wastage, which made him bedridden and unable to eat except via a tube into his stomach. Over the years, Mr Allison had to learn to walk and eat solid food again.
Steve, a former store and area manager, was left with a deteriorated vertebrae disc after he was crushed against a wall by a stack of pallets at his work in Birmingham back in 2014.
After this, his dad would often drive up and help him with getting to hospital appointments.
The RAF veteran now faces another operation in around seven weeks, the outcome of which is uncertain.
Donations to Mr Allison’s flight can be made here.
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