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Dromore man who’s ‘lucky to be alive’ celebrates 60th birthday

THIS Saturday, a Dromore man will be celebrating his 60th birthday with all the fanfare and cheer one would expect for such a special occasion – but, instead of receiving gifts, he will be helping to raise thousands of pounds for the hospital who helped save his life over a decade ago, and a charity he cares deeply for.

Rewind back to 2010, and Charlie McCanney was facing death’s door. After suffering from a blocked valve in his heart, he had been checked into the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast to undergo surgery – however, surgeons discovered that the damage was ‘much worse’ than had originally been thought.

Instead of receiving a stint to open up the valve, as first thought, the only option was for Charlie to receive ‘valve transplant surgery’ – a serious procedure, that is only performed in the North a few times per year.

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It took surgeons 12 hours to complete the procedure – and, when they had finally finished, they told Charlie’s family that, without that surgery, he would most-likely have died within four weeks.

Now, mercifully, Charlie is ‘happy and healthy’, and he can’t wait to mark his milestone birthday alongside his nearest and dearest, while ‘giving something back’ to both the Royal Victoria Hospital, and to ‘Northern Ireland Chest, Heart & Stroke’ – a charity who prevent, and care for, chest, heart and stroke illnesses in the North, and who work closely alongside the hospital.

‘Giving something back’

Charlie, who is a former rally driver, told the UH that he was “lucky to be alive.”

“The care I received in ‘The Royal’ was top-notch,” he said. “I couldn’t have asked for better, so the family and I wanted to do something to say thanks to the medical staff there.

“But we also wanted to say thanks to ‘Chest Heart and Stroke’, as they do brilliant work to help provide funding for big operations, like the one that I had.

“I am very pleased with what we have raised so far, and I am very fortunate to have great friends and an amazing family who are supporting this fundraising drive.”

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Charlie’s daughter, Denise – who has set up a fundraising ‘JustGiving’ page for the aforementioned causes – said that if it wasn’t for the excellent care her father received, he ‘would not be alive today’.

Upon going to print, £1,300 has been raised via the JustGiving page, while £400 has been received through cash donations.

“Daddy had his operation in 2010, and it saved his life,” Denise said. “So, instead of daddy receiving gifts for his 60th, we have asked people to donate to our Just Giving page.

“The amount that we have raised so far shows just how generous people are, and how well-liked daddy is in the community.”

l More fundraising will be taking place on Saturday, at Central Bar in Dromore. If you wish to make a donation, please visit: ‘https://gofund.me/ff03c03c’.

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