Image source, McAleese family
- Author, Niall McCracken
- Role, BBC News NI Mid Ulster Reporter
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“During his illness he always said that if he was going to die, he wanted this book to be his legacy.”
Anne McAleese’s husband Aidan passed away from bowel cancer three years ago.
His family have countless memories to call on, but uniquely, they also have a very personal account that they can hold in their hands.
In the months before his death, the schoolteacher fulfilled a lifelong dream of writing a book.
What started off as a memoir about his childhood in County Tyrone turned into a story about his cancer treatment and the importance of early diagnosis.
Image source, McAleese family
“Aidan always wanted to write a book, it was always in his head”, his wife Anne said.
“When he received his diagnosis he knew it was time to start writing things down.”
Hope and signature humour
The book charts tales from Aidan’s childhood to his career as a teacher and eventual cancer treatment, fleeting between stories of sadness, hope and often his signature humour.
Aidan’s daughter Éirinn fondly remembers her father writing the book at home.
“At one stage he asked me to print some of it out, so he could edit it the old school way with a pen,” she said.
“But I was under strict orders to not look at it until it was ready.
“I could tell he cared about it and he really hoped it was going to help others.”
At the request of Aidan before his death, the small paperback book was published by the McAleese family to be given away for free to people the family felt would benefit from it.
Initially there were a couple of dozen copies, but it soon became clear the family needed to get more printed.
“The response was amazing, the book was being passed on and we were hearing stories of how it was helping others with cancer, people Aidan hadn’t even met,” Anne said.
“We ended up giving away around 100 copies and I think one of the points of the book for Aidan was to highlight that if you’ve anything wrong with you, get seen as soon as possible.”
Symptoms of bowel cancer
Before Aidan’s diagnosis he had experienced several months of severe heartburn, but he did not get it checked out straight away.
Some cancers can cause indigestion (sometimes known as heartburn) and acid reflux.
Other symptoms of bowel cancer can include stomach pain, bloating, fatigue and sudden weight loss.
“Looking back of course we wish he had got looked at sooner,” Anne said.
“By the end Aidan felt that if the book can raise awareness and help save one person, then he said he would feel as if he had done something.”
Bowel cancer is the second biggest cancer killer in Northern Ireland and about 460 people in Northern Ireland die each year from the disease.
Aidan’s family say they hope his book can continue to raise awareness of symptoms.
For now though, his daughter Éirinn is still taking things one page at a time.
She said: “I think it’s amazing Dad has left this legacy and it’s helping a lot of people, but I still find it quite tough to read.
“I’ve only made it to page four.
“Someday I will read it and I know I’ll love it, but at the minute hearing how much others get from it is enough, I’ll take it a page at a time.”
