It will likely be the last Father’s Day that Sydney native Natasha McGean spends with her father Glen.
Glen McGean, who will turn 65-years-old on Monday, has been fighting for his life since he was diagnosed with lung cancer in June of 2017. He recently stopped chemotherapy treatments after doctors informed him that the disease had spread, and he was given just months to live.
“A few days ago I started having bad headaches, plus being sick,” says Glen McGean. “It was so bad, I couldn’t even go to the hospital, and they sent a doctor over.”
While she knows Sunday will be bittersweet, Natasha is focused on making the most of her final moments with her father, and hopes she can grant him one last wish.
“I don’t know what it’s like to have cancer, but I know what it’s like to watch your parents have cancer,” says Natasha.
Natasha lost her mother Rogene to cancer 10 years ago. Now, at just 24-years-old, she’s facing that same struggle with her father.
“He’s raised me since my mom passed away, and he’s done a great job. He always puts me before himself, he’s always made sure my wishes and dreams came true my whole life,” says Natasha.
Now it is Natasha who is trying to make her father’s biggest wish come true.
Glen is a big baseball fan, and an even bigger fan of the Toronto Blue Jays. His lifelong dream has been to watch the team in person.
“When they got Joe Carter and the World Series, I got caught up in it and have been a big fan ever since,” says Glen.
Natasha has started a GoFundMe page in hopes of granting her father one last wish- to travel to Toronto to see his favourite team in person.
“The last two years of being sick with the radiation and then the chemo, it’s really hard. I can’t think of anyone else who deserves this more than him,” says Natasha.
Support is already pouring in for the family. A signed baseball and picture from former Blue Jays slugger Kelly Gruber is on route. The GoFundMe has already raised over $1500 of its goal of $5000 that would cover Glen's flight, and other expenses such as a scooter to help him get around.
Glen says the kindness from total strangers has been overwhelming, but he gets emotional when talks about his daughters gesture.
“I’m so, so proud,” says Glen McGean.
A father and daughter that say they do everything together, and hope to take one last trip and make this father’s day weekend one to remember.
With files from CTV Atlantic’s Kyle Moore.