Shaun Lee Johnstone

BRAIN TUMOURS

Shaun was just 16 years old when he died of an undiagnosed brain tumour in 1998. A much loved and happy person he was well known in and around Boroughbridge, North Yorkshire. He was a member of Ripon Runners and Boroughbridge Young Farmers, his fellow members carried his coffin into church. His coffin was transported to the cemetery on a tractor and trailer supplied by Ripon Farm Services for whom Shaun had worked after leaving school. He was a member of numerous moto cross clubs and also was a mechanic at the Dutch and Czechoslovak grand prix at the age of 15.

He loved life but was not given a chance to fulfil his ambitions. Shaun complained to local GPs over a period of 6 months about tremors of his hand, fits, loss of use of his left arm and headaches. The day before he died “psychosomatic” was written on his notes. It was left to his father, Ray, to get him to hospital after finding him collapsed and complaining of his headaches. When he died 4 hours later his last words as he held his father’s hand were “dad, my head, my head, my head” with his voice getting quieter at each word.

Some time after Shaun’s death Ray read an article about the Samantha Dickson Brain Tumour Trust (SDBTT), a charity named after another 16 year old child. Ray got in touch and after several phone calls decided this was the way to go fund raising. Ray and Paula Johnstone have since set up the SDBTT Shaun Lee Johnstone Fund, Every penny placed in the fund gets used for research. 

The SDBTT is the largest dedicated tumour charity in the Uk. Their website, if you would like more infromation is www.braintumourtrust.co.uk

If you have a fundraising idea or would like to make a donation in Shaun’s name(please make cheques payable to SDBTT Shaun Lee Johnstone Fund), contact Ray & Paula Johnstone, 9 New Row, Boroughbridge, York YO51 9AX, or telephone them on 01423325394. You can also go to Shaun’s link on the website under umbrella groups and quote SLJ