Bulldogs star Lindsay Gilbee plays to inspire ailing father

A very moving article, all the best to Lindsay Gilbee's dad and family through this difficult time...

Bulldogs star Lindsay Gilbee plays to inspire ailing father
The Herald Sun
Mark Stevens | July 10, 2009

WESTERN Bulldog Lindsay Gilbee is determined to put two weeks of personal anguish behind him tonight to honour his seriously ill father.

As Gilbee runs out to confront Collingwood at Etihad Stadium, his father Lawrie will be watching from Box Hill Hospital, where he is battling an aggressive form of leukaemia.

Gilbee was shattered by the diagnosis, delivered just two days before the Bulldogs tackled North Melbourne in Round 13.

"It was certainly the worst bit of news in my life," Gilbee said.

"Dad's very ill. He went downhill quickly. I certainly have a good cry every day."

Only a month ago, Lawrie was in Darwin to watch his son play Port Adelaide, with no inkling he was about to face the biggest challenge of his life.

"He was really sick up there and didn't know what it was, so he got back to Melbourne and had some tests," Gilbee said.

"Dad was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia - and I heard some other bad news that came with it as well.

"Hopefully, he's on the road to recovery, but we only take it one day at a time. We don't look at weeks ahead at the moment."

In the past two games - against North Melbourne and Hawthorn - the all-Australian has paid an emotional tribute to his father after kicking goals.

Gilbee has kissed his hand and patted his heart, knowing his father was watching.

"Dad said he got a bit emotional when he saw it on TV," Gilbee said.

"I will do anything to give my dad a little bit of a pep-up, and I will certainly be dedicating the rest of this football season to him."

Gilbee, whose 28th birthday on Wednesday was soured by his father's battle, is renowned as a fun-loving prankster at Whitten Oval.

But he has found it much more difficult to be upbeat in the past fortnight, spending more time at hospital visiting his father than at training.

"The people at Box Hill Hospital have been fantastic, and so has the club," Gilbee said.

Gilbee conceded football was not at the forefront of his mind as he continues to research the impact of the disease.

"It's something you wouldn't wish upon your worst enemy," Gilbee said.

"It's a disease that has no family history. It's like a sleeping bear.

"You can be fine and then a week later be really sick. I just hope he can get through it."

Lawrie Gilbee likes nothing better than enjoying a pie and a beer at the footy while watching his son.

But now he is in hospital receiving chemotherapy.

"It's getting pretty tough on mum. He can't go home because it's such a high risk of infection. His white blood cells are down," Gilbee said.

"He probably won't go to a game for the rest of the season. It's such a risk that even a cough can turn into pneumonia, and that's something we don't want to give him.

"My life at the moment con sists of a little bit of training, washing my hands and going to the hospital.

"I've never washed my hands so much in my life, to be honest.

"They have a very strict protocol.

"The people at the club have been fantastic. They just say 'When you want to leave, just go'."

Gilbee, who grew up in Coldstream just 50 metres from the local footy ground, said his father had still been playing at 40.

He can remember sleeping on the clubroom's floor as his father caught up with mates on a Saturday night.

Lawrie, and Gilbee's mum Maureen, still live in the outer east, and until the life-changing events of a fortnight ago worked in the same packaging company.

Maureen works in the factory. Lawrie drove a delivery van.

"My old man loves a beer, going out and having a few bets. But he was sick up in Darwin and wasn't himself," Gilbee said.

"He got back to Melbourne and had some tests. But some doctor said it was nothing and sent him home.

"But he had bleeding of the gums and his throat, so he went to another doctor and he took blood.

"That was on the Thursday. On the Friday before the Kangaroos game, he got diagnosed.

"It kind of knocked me out. I played the worst game I have for the season against the Kangaroos." But Gilbee was determined to play on.

"I think pulling out is something my dad wouldn't want. Seeing me play on the weekend is something that really cheers him up.

"I don't want to mope around. I want to be at the hospital all the time, but obviously I can't.

"It's important to continue life. I'm not the only person in the world coping with this."

Buoyed by the Dogs' 88-point demolition of Hawthorn on Saturday night, Lawrie could not resist mentioning to his son that the Dogs might be a chance for the premiership.

"I said: 'Dad, we can't get too far ahead of ourselves' and he choked up. He said: 'I'd like to see you win it this year'.

"It would mean a hell of a lot to my old man."

Quote:

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Originally Posted by BulldogBelle

"The people at the club have been fantastic. They just say 'When you want to leave, just go'."

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IIRC they also did the right thing re Griff's sick dad.

The club seems to handle these sad cases very well.

Jeez, another sad story... what a courageous effort from Lindsay to play on. This one hits home with me, lost my dad to cancer. Played in a basketball tournament 10 days later, and remember telling a teammate "I'm not sure why I'm here, but I have to be"... let's all hope he gets through this.

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Originally Posted by AndrewP6

Jeez, another sad story... what a courageous effort from Lindsay to play on. This one hits home with me, lost my dad to cancer. Played in a basketball tournament 10 days later, and remember telling a teammate "I'm not sure why I'm here, but I have to be"... let's all hope he gets through this.

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Yes, Lindsay is doing it tough and sorry for your loss also AP6, I know only to well the devastation cancer can cause to a family I also lost my dad 9 years ago - all the best to the Gilbee family and hope Lawrie Gilbee will be ok.

Things Like this really put things into perspective. It's good to know that the club is 100% behind the guys with stuff like this though footy has become a high stakes business we still have the human element.

It's times like these that footy clubs show why they are such a great place. Best wishes and Speedy recovery.

Still have tears and goosebumps after reading that in this mornings paper.

Hopefully Lawrie can pull through the tough battle he has ahead.

Lets hope the boys can rally around Lindsay tonight and have a big win.

Awful situation for the family and Lindsay. Hope Mr Gilbee gets well soon and can see his son play in the GF.

Lets Hope we can win for The Gilbee famil 2nite i have had the great pleasure of Talking To Lindsay many times and he is just a fantastic person so all the best Lindsay

It certainly does put life in perspective. It must be also very difficult for Linday when playing as I'm sure that he would be thinking of his dad from time to time during a match.

Do we have any confirmation about why Gilbee missed last week? I'm guessing it is to do with his father but nothing has been said.

Any news on how Lindsays dad is going, hope he is fighting with all his bulldogs spirit, thoughts are with Lindsay and family

So sad to hear of the passing of Lindsays dad, thoughts are with Lindsay and family and all bulldogs family