‘Middy’s’ dying message reverberates

Kenneth Samuel Dougherty - better known as ‘Middy’ to friends and family - told his childhood sweetheart, Catherine, he wanted her to organise a ‘big night’ to raise money for cancer support when he realised his time left here was short.

‘Middy’ died in late October and the ‘big night’ took place shortly after what would have been his 53rd birthday in May of this year.

Friends and family packed out the Belfray Inn for a ‘Wild West’ night and raised £3,081 for MacMillan cancer support in a fitting tribute to someone described by the person who knew him best as the life and soul of every party.

Catherine explained: “This was actually his idea. One of his dying wishes was - his exact words were ‘I want a big night for cancer.’ The reason was because one of his best friends had been diagnosed the month before with cancer as well, in the bakery - my husband worked in Crawford’s.

“And the other request was he wanted the money put back into the town. He wanted the money kept in the North West.”

‘Middy’ grew up in a family of seven in Bonds Street and went out to work at the age of 14 in Paige’s bakery.

He and Catherine met in 1977 when he was just 16 and she was 15 years old. They married four years later and had two children, Stephanie and Kenneth.

Catherine says ‘Middy’ had a very strong faith, which undoubtedly sustained him when every family’s nightmare unfolded over Christmas in 2011.

“He was diagnosed with lung cancer three days before Christmas in 2011,” she told the Sentinel.

“He was rushed to Belfast where he got intense radiotherapy. He got chemotherapy and he had ten reasonably good months.”

Despite undergoing six courses of gruelling chemo, ‘Middy’ never let it grind him down, never felt sorry for himself, never grumbled.

“He was very brave. He never complained. He didn’t want anyone to take pity. He didn’t want anybody crying. He wanted normality so I wanted to give him normality,” said Catherine.

As well as vowing to transform ‘Middy’s’ death into something positive, Catherine also said she wanted to encourage people concerned with any symptoms, however, innocuous to go and see a doctor.

It’s a pertinent message. Some of the wards worst affected by cancer in the city between 2007 and 2009 were in the Waterside.

These included Clondermot (3.72 per cent); Victoria (2.82 per cent); Caw (2.80 per cent); Lisnagelvin (2.67 per cent); and Ebrington (2.53 per cent), all in the top ten.

As for her own story, Catherine said: “The only thing he had was a persistent cough and a tiredness. But he just put it down to working nights. And he never was one to go to the doctor.

“It’s very important that you know your own body, it’s so important to look after yourself. At the first sign of anything different go and get yourself checked out. And keep going back. Keep going back.”

Catherine said she and her family wished to thank everyone who donated, supported and turned up for the ‘Wild West’ night in the Belfray.

She also thanked Spangles, Hudson and Blue, Sharon Nixon, Same 4 Boys and the Little Dollar and Dime line dancers for providing the entertainment and numerous businesses who sponsored the event.

“He was the life and soul of every party. He loved life and he lived life to the full,” said Catherine. “I’m turning his death around so that something good will come out of it.”