Allan was born on 20th March 1984 at Thorpe Hospital, Easington, Co. Durham. It was a long and difficult labour but back then there was no hint of the problems facing him, no evidence of the difficulties he'd encounter throughout his life.
Living in Peterlee with me (his Mum Val), his Dad Allan Snr, big sister Debbie and big brother David, close to his older sisters Julie and Carole and their young families, from day one Allan was our star and our lives revolved around him. His happy cheeky smile stayed with him throughout those early years despite his health being poor and many problems surfacing during that time.
When he was 5 years old, after many medicals, hospital visits and tests, he was diagnosed as having cerebral palsy - which was due to lack of oxygen to his brain during birth. He had mobility problems, difficulties with motor-skills and speech, poor eyesight and had been plagued from as young as two years old with regular severe migraine attacks.
Allan's first school was North Blunts Primary in Peterlee, where he was adored by staff and pupils alike, especially the little girls who loved to mother him! He laughed off his problems, endured physiotherapy, speech-therapy, endless hospital visits and operations on both eyes. But those migraines continued to plague him and he suffered at least one a week and on those days there was no laughter - just a darkened room and a sick-bowl, often for more than 24 hours at a time.
Allan was a small boy with a big personality, he had a cheeky smile and loved to make us laugh. He loved sport from an early age and developed a life-time passion for football, especially Sunderland AFC as you can see from many of his photos!
At 11 years old his life changed for the worse...his beloved father died suddenly, he started attending Shotton Hall Comprehensive School and that sparkling personality was hidden by sadness and increasing problems. As well as struggling with his health and developing learning difficulties, Allan became the victim of relentless bullying at school. This came to a head one Christmas when he asked Santa Claus for a gun because he wanted to shoot himself. Shortly after that, increasingly worried by the pressures on him and his unhappiness, I withdrew him from the school and taught him at home until he was eventually given a place at Glendene Special School, Easington. Here, under the guidance of a devoted head-teacher Mr Eric Baker, and excellent staff, Allan regained his self-confidence and learned to laugh again, even after his hearing was found to be failing and he had to wear hearing-aids. He just smiled and got on with it!
Our star sparkled once more.
Living in Peterlee with me (his Mum Val), his Dad Allan Snr, big sister Debbie and big brother David, close to his older sisters Julie and Carole and their young families, from day one Allan was our star and our lives revolved around him. His happy cheeky smile stayed with him throughout those early years despite his health being poor and many problems surfacing during that time.
When he was 5 years old, after many medicals, hospital visits and tests, he was diagnosed as having cerebral palsy - which was due to lack of oxygen to his brain during birth. He had mobility problems, difficulties with motor-skills and speech, poor eyesight and had been plagued from as young as two years old with regular severe migraine attacks.
Allan's first school was North Blunts Primary in Peterlee, where he was adored by staff and pupils alike, especially the little girls who loved to mother him! He laughed off his problems, endured physiotherapy, speech-therapy, endless hospital visits and operations on both eyes. But those migraines continued to plague him and he suffered at least one a week and on those days there was no laughter - just a darkened room and a sick-bowl, often for more than 24 hours at a time.
Allan was a small boy with a big personality, he had a cheeky smile and loved to make us laugh. He loved sport from an early age and developed a life-time passion for football, especially Sunderland AFC as you can see from many of his photos!
At 11 years old his life changed for the worse...his beloved father died suddenly, he started attending Shotton Hall Comprehensive School and that sparkling personality was hidden by sadness and increasing problems. As well as struggling with his health and developing learning difficulties, Allan became the victim of relentless bullying at school. This came to a head one Christmas when he asked Santa Claus for a gun because he wanted to shoot himself. Shortly after that, increasingly worried by the pressures on him and his unhappiness, I withdrew him from the school and taught him at home until he was eventually given a place at Glendene Special School, Easington. Here, under the guidance of a devoted head-teacher Mr Eric Baker, and excellent staff, Allan regained his self-confidence and learned to laugh again, even after his hearing was found to be failing and he had to wear hearing-aids. He just smiled and got on with it!
Our star sparkled once more.
