Well known football coach and one-time firefighter George Browning has won his 15-month-long fight with cancer.
Now the Perth family man is urging anyone worried about lumps appearing on their body or feeling unwell to seek medical advice as soon as possible.
George bowed out of the fire service in 2009 after a 30-year career.
His coaching career took him to St Johnstone, Dundee United, Forfar Athletic and Brechin City before returning to McDiarmid Park.
George (64) believes his early diagnosis and quick start to treatment helped save his life.
“While shaving, I felt a couple of lumps on my neck and jawline which hadn’t been there before,” recalled the ex-Perth Academy pupil.
“My message is simple. Don’t put it off, go and have a check-up.
“It may turn out to be nothing but if it turns out to be cancerous an early diagnosis will enhance your chances of a full recovery.
“I have always said you’re going to have to go and get seen to at some point so go early and give yourself a chance.
“Things moved quickly after my initial appointment.
“I have no doubt in my mind that the early diagnosis increased my chances of hopefully having a full recovery after being diagnosed with neck cancer in November 2021.
“The cancer team at Ninewells mapped out a treatment plan involving three weeks of chemotherapy then radiotherapy every weekday for six weeks.
“During my radiotherapy sessions I developed a large blood clot on my lung which set me back a bit. I needed a blood transfusion and blood thinning drugs for three months and a two week stay in Ninewells.
“It’s only looking back that I realise how serious it was and how weak I was. I lost three stone over the course of my treatment.
“I also had to have an operation on my neck to remove a lymph node. They weren’t 100 per cent happy with my final scan and suspected there was still a trace of cancer there.
“I had to wait two weeks for the final test results. But I will never forget the surgeon putting me at ease right away by saying ‘come in, I have good news for you.’”
George went on to add: “Special thanks are due to all the teams of NHS staff that looked after me in different ways and in different departments, my wife Theresa and sons Greg and Scott.
“During my recovery I had plenty of morale-boosting visits from family, friends, fire service and football colleagues.
“They kept my spirits up by sending texts and jokes and going for a coffee. That helped me so much.
“There are too many to name individually but they all played a part in getting me to where I am today.
“Hopefully my experience will encourage anyone with doubts to go and get checked out. Don’t delay, it might
save your life.”
