Our CHECT Champion Dads 2021

We often feature our wonderful CHECT mums in our stories, and we feel it’s important to recognise those amazing dads out there who go above and beyond to support their families as well.

For Father’s Day, we asked children (maybe with a bit of help) to nominate their dads for an honorary CHECT Champion Award. Congratulations to the awesome dads below who were nominated, each of you will receive a special CHECT Champion certificate!

Grandad Po

Nominated by Cobie (13 months) and mum Lauren

Please could I nominate my Grandad Po (Paul) He has helped me and my mummy every step of my journey since I was diagnosed at 13 weeks old. He set up a brave the shave fundraising for CHECT and raised over £2000 He’s the best Grandad I could ask for and me and my mummy don’t know what we would do without him. Happy Father’s Day Grandad xxxx

Eliot Webster

Nominated by Luka (nearly 4), Theo (2) and mum Jana
He is a brilliant daddy. He looks after us and makes us laugh. He gives us donkey rides to the bathroom to brush our teeth. We love riding on his shoulders too. He does loads of fun stuff and so much more. He makes our porridge in the morning. But the main thing is that he makes us very happy. He’s been there at so many of our visits. We feel safe with him. His hugs are the best.

Michael Hickson

Nominated by Darcey (2) and mum Gina
Darcey’s daddy definitely deserves a nomination! Michael has had to do the whole diagnosis and treatment from the sidelines and has been the support for both me and Darcey. All whilst working all the hours and looking after Phillip when we aren’t home.

Glenn Branch

Nominated by Amber (age 5) and mum Pippa

My Daddy deserves a CHECT Champion Award for everything that he does for me.

We have a lot of fun together and he looks after me on hospital days too. Mummy says he lets me climb too high, too close to an edge or cycle too fast but we have a good time when Mummy isn’t watching! I like it when he wears his soft T-shirt on special sleep days.

I love cycling and scooting with Daddy, we have both just got new scooters for our birthdays. He says he’s faster than me, but I think I am faster really. When I was younger I used to sit on the back of his bike, but now I can cycle on my own bike next to him. I like Daddy reading me stories before I go to sleep at night.

Daddy and I wash the car together – I remind him to do it the night before we drive to hospital. I like trying to spray him with the hose, by mistake of course. My Daddy is always there to catch me – I like to jump into his arms from high things!

Daniel Dennehy

Nominated by Aaron (age 11)

I would like to nominate my daddy Daniel Dennehy. I was diagnosed at 14 weeks old and my daddy looked after me while I was poorly. He gave me lots of cuddles and came to all my appointments. He makes me laugh and forget when I am upset or when I am really anxious and stressed.

He taught me to ride my bike and taught me how to hold my new guinea pigs which I am getting good at. He also got me with a cream pie when I did the dares last year, whilst raising money for CHECT, which we found funny.

My daddy is my hero.

Chris Lodge

Nominated by Olivia (age 6)

My name is Olivia and I would like to nominate my daddy Chris for the honorary CHECT Champion Award. He’s the best daddy in the world and he always makes me laugh. There is never a dull moment with him, and he’s always being cheeky and funny!

Grandad Mick

Nominated by Piper (age 4) and mum Liza

My name is piper and I would like to nominate my grandad Mick to be a CHECT Champion this year on Father’s Day. Grandad is one of my best friends and I love him so much. I love it when I have sleepovers at his house and he gives me lots of treats. I like sitting on his knee and he is very funny.

My grandad is always there and is always ready to listen if there is something wrong and will support everyone. My favourite thing about my grandad is he has the best cuddles.

Micheal Wilkinson

Nominated by Meadow (age 5) and mum Hannah

My name is Meadow and I was diagnosed in June 2019 with retinoblastoma. My dad is my absolute hero as well as my best friend. He always puts me and my siblings before anything else in the world and works so hard to support us all.

Living in Middlesbrough, my dad has to drive a long way to Birmingham especially at the beginning of my diagnosis. He always made my journey super exciting. Not long after I was diagnosed, my dad lost his own dad – but yet still he was the strongest man I know keeping us all so positive and upbeat. I love him very much and would love to nominate him for a Father’s Day award. 🥇

Will Plant

Nominated by Benjamin (age 9)

I would like to nominate my dad Will Plant for an honorary CHECT Champion Award please.

My dad was with me through all of my Rb treatment, and held me tight when I was upset after every anaesthetic I had to have. He made our trips to the Royal London Hospital as much fun as possible for mum and I, and I couldn’t have got through it without him.

Now that I don’t have to have anaesthetics anymore he doesn’t get the chance to come to clinics with me so much, but he’s my hero for everything he did when I was poorly, and for everything he does for me every day.

Arsens Zvaigzne

Nominated by Tristan (age 2)

My name is Tristan. Last month I was diagnosed with retinoblastoma and my left eye was enunciated. I am on my first cycle of chemotherapy now.

I have two older brothers who are 3 and 6 and a baby sister who is 10 months old. I love my big loud family 🥰

My dad has been by my side every step of the way. He has been so strong and supportive. He has been so full of love and so caring. I can’t imagine doing this without him. He has been vomited on several times. He has been starved. He has been sleeping on an uncomfortable chair. He has been counting minutes till I come back from operation, when I wake up, when I feel better. Has begged me to eat and drink something. Has hoped like never before for me to be ok, to not be in pain, to feel like myself.

My dad was there to hold my hand. To stroke my head. To hug me. And to hold me tight.

Thank you dad. You are my champion 💚

Morgan Migallos

Nominated by Hugo (age 3) and mum Sarah-Jane

My Daddy is my hero – he plays the best games and makes up the best stories! He always helps me to be brave and I love him so much!

Gavin Stancer

Nominated by Harry (age 2) and mum Caroline

When my mummy said she wanted another baby, he didn’t bat an eyelid. He was more than happy to add to their two boys and knowing he was going to be a daddy to me, a baby boy who was extra special and needed some extra special love and care he was even happier. He knew that he could give me the love and support and care that would keep me safe and as healthy as could be.

During covid, when the world was upside down, he put aside his business and concentrated on putting me and my big brothers first and making sure my mummy was supported, every step of the way. He works so hard every day to make sure we are all happy. He gives amazing snuggles and he is so tall that when I have a shoulder ride, I can see the whole world.

He doesn’t always make it to Birmingham with me, instead he is at home ensuring that my big brothers are ok, that they feel confident and happy going to school every time my mummy brings me for my treatment. In January, when I relapsed, I spent a lot more time traveling to and from the hospital and he made sure he was always at home and that my mummy and me were OK.

He is the best, he is kind and thoughtful and loving and funny. He blows the best raspberries and doesn’t mind chasing me when I try to explore. I love him very much and I am very glad he is my daddy.

Darren Ellis

Nominated by Freddie (age 2) and mum Demi

I would like to take this opportunity nominate my daddy Darren Ellis for the Fathers Day award because if wasn’t for my daddy we would have never known there was anything wrong with my eye. If my daddy hadn’t picked up on it quickly and told my mammy to get me checked, things could have been worse for me as I had two tumours in my eye. Daddy drives me and mammy to Birmingham every month so I can get my treatment.

My daddy is my hero and I love him so much he is my biggest supporter and knows I will fight this 💙. Thank you for giving me this opportunity to nominate him.

Dean Alldis

Nominated by proud daughter Beth

My Dad has been doing squats for CHECT for the whole year now. What started as squats in January, he’s taken it to the next levers following the offer of a large donation if he would continue to the end of the year… Dad being Dad, he never backs down from a challenge (or a dare!)

He also completed 5500 miles a few years for the charity to raise awareness!

A total hero in my eyes and I’m proud to be his daughter!