Amateur footballer Alan loses brave Motor Neurone battle

Alan Stitt, a well-known amateur footballer who suffered from Motor Neurone Disease died last Tuesday, January 22, after fighting the illness for the past five years. He was 48.

His family described him as a ‘remarkable’ and ‘brave’ man who refused to let the condition rule his life and even at the late stages of his illness wanted to be as independent as possible. He would use his foot to work his beloved computer and even until as recently as Christmas refused his food to be liquidised despite warnings from the doctor that he could choke.

Alan was diagnosed with the crippling condition that affects the nervous system in 2008, after he complained of a sore back and when he was fitting a kitchen in January 2008 he fell and broke his arm. When he went to the health centre for physiotherapy it was picked up that something was amiss.

He never liked going to the doctor but eventually was persuaded to go and went for a series of tests and had to remain in hospital for a week. It involved CT scans and electrodes on his legs and it was then when it was discovered that he was suffering from a potentially fatal condition Motor Neurone Disease.

He and his family had never heard of the condition and the news came like a bolt out of the blue. It soon became clear there was no known cure but with help from the internet they discovered that more sufferers were turning to stem cell treatment which could help alleviate the symptoms for a time.

A relative discovered the stem cell treatment in a magazine article and they contacted a hospital in Beijing, China, which would offer him treatment including intensive physiotherapy, wave therapy and treatment where he would be forced to lie on his back for up to eight hours at a time.

His wife Barbara, his uncle and sister Sandra checked the internet for information and made plans for Alan to go to China.

Meanwhile his relatives rallied round raising money including bag packing, tractor run, a Stars in their Eyes event all of which helped raise an amazing £20,000.

In September with his wife Barbara, mother Rita he travelled to China for the treatment.

He admitted when he returned that the stem cell treatment only slowed down the symptoms - it allowed him to walk along a line which he could not do before and was able to walk for a time.

But gradually the symptoms returned and he had to give up his work as a self employed kitchen fitter and eventually became wheelchair bound. His wife said that her husband never regretted the stem cell treatment and hoped that, even for a short time would give him a better quality of life.

“It gave him six more months,” Barbara said. “We knew that the treatment was no cure but he never had any regrets he had nothing to lose. Perhaps in time stem cell treatment is the way forward, I really believe that. If he could have got it in England he could have gone over more frequently but going to China was just too expensive.

“He really had nothing to lose by going over. He never complained about his condition he just accepted that, he had it. We did see a difference when he had the treatment. It was fine for six months but then the symptoms returned ”

His mother Rita, said that the media attention allowed her to get in touch with other sufferers and build up long lasting friendships. They would give each other support and tips when times were hard. She said that they were told that the life expectancy for sufferers was two to five years and he died just two months short of the five years when he was first diagnosed.

“He did so many things and tried to do so much in that time he never really let it get him down,” she said. “We went on holidays, picnics he tried to do what he could. He loved to have a laugh and have a joke. He was a remarkable person. He was jokey and he liked to play a trick on you and loved a bit of craic.”

His lifelong dream came true when he bought a Subaru, something that he had longed for, and even joined a local Subaru club.

Thanks to his uncle Alex he even went to see his beloved Liverpool team. As a youth he joined many teams including Hillsborough Old Boys, Crumlin United. He founded AFC and managed and played for Lambeg players and Ballymacash Rangers. He also played the drum and flute for bands including Roses Lane Ends, Knockmore and Queensway.

There are currently only 95 people in Northern Ireland who suffer from the condition.

He is survived by his wife Barbara and children Samantha, Graham and four grandchildren.