This Saturday the Dundee FC Supporters’ Society health initiatives continue as local charity Dreamz4U come to Dens with a very special guest. Dreamz4U was founded in Dundee in 2007 and is a charity dedicated to granting the dreamz of sick and disabled children. So far they have successfully made just short of 400 dreamz come true for children across Scotland.
Jim Michie and Jimmy Etchels of Dreamz wanted to offer a dream to a Dundee fan and they don't come more deserving than 16 year old Eathan Falconer, a season ticket holder who has been coming to the games for 3 years with granddad George Falconer. When the Society and Community Director Jacqui Robertson heard about Eathan, they wanted to make it a day to remember and he will lead the team out on Saturday against Partick Thistle, while he and his family enjoy the hospitality of the Captain's Lounge. Eathan suffers from severe autism and here, granddad George takes up the story of how supporting Dundee Football Club has allowed this young man to communicate in a way his family hadn't thought possible.
"I've been a fan since around 1951 and I started bringing Eathan to Dens about 3 years ago and he's a season ticket holder now. I thought I'd give it a shot and see how he would be at Dens Park as far as the crowd and entering the park would be. He did pretty well on the day but what really helped was the staff at dens. We moved on from there and hopefully we can move on further. As far as Eathan's abilities are concerned with being autistic it's quite hard for him to go to the games especially when he is away from home. He can't talk which is really hard because sometimes you just want him to say ‘gran’ or ‘granddad’. It is difficult but he's my grandson and I adore him - it's just how he is. If he says ‘granny’ or ‘granddad’ one day I'll be happy. He did speak until he’d just passed two but once he was diagnosed with autism it just disappeared."
Coming to the games together has allowed George and Eathan to develop an important bond. "It's brilliant. We enjoy each other's company. Without a doubt taking him to the games has helped him. It has helped to socialise him and he can show a bit of excitement which he wasn't doing before but he started when he went to Dens, especially when Dundee score - I jump up and punch the air and he jumps up and copies me. He reacts to what's going on on the pitch. Without a doubt the football is Eathan's way of expressing himself. That's all he thinks about is football now when he sees me. When he sees anyone wearing Dundee clothes he knows straight away."
While being a mascot on Saturday is Eathan's dream, George's dream would be for the day to also highlight what life is like for people like Eathan and their families. "With Eathan being autistic it is quite difficult for people to understand what difficulties he is going through. We would want people to realise that he and other kids with autism are capable of doing things on their own.
"I say quite often that people can be frightened of what they don't know. Eathan has a habit of waving to people and you can see people questioning that and I've found myself apologising and explaining that he is just saying hello. It is quite hard for people to understand what he is about. To look at him you wouldn't think there was anything at all wrong and there's nothing wrong physically. He is a big strapping young man but mentally he isn't, he is in this shell inside, and we have found a way of Eathan touching others and communicating by going to the football. He is, in his own way, saying what he likes and doesn't like which is amazing because otherwise he'd be stuck in his room or playing the computer himself."
George and the whole family were delighted to find out that Dreamz4U, Dundee FC Supporters’ Society and Dundee Football Club wanted to provide this very special day for this very special young man. "I thought it was brilliant when Dreamz4U chose Eathan for a dream and the partnership with them and Dundee. He has the chance to go to Dens, meet the players and go into the boardroom. He'll be feeling the excitement inside and I will be as proud as him. I thought it was brilliant that the Supporters’ Society offered to provide the mascot package for Eathan and he will be happy and excited about getting to meet the players. I'm just so grateful to Jacqui Robertson and Dundee for giving him the opportunity and it will be fantastic."
Dreamz4U trustee and the man behind this dream, Jimmy Etchels, has been in regular contact with the family in the run up to the big day and said, "seeing Eathan running out with his heroes is going to be amazing. And for him to be able to do this with the help of Dreamz4U makes it special for the charity too. A big thanks to all who have helped make this dream happen for Eathan and his family to witness and a big thanks for the big effort and generosity of the Supporters’ Society and the hard work of Jacqui Robertson and Billy Shepherd that made it possible - without generous donations and people like this dreams like Eathan's would never happen."