Dad, I really miss you

This week our portfolio brief revolved around two charities, British Heart Foundation and Cancer Research. My partner and I had family members who had a heart condition, so naturally we chose to work on the British Heart Foundation. 

The day we handed in our assignment would have been my father’s 81^st birthday, he passed away from a heart condition 5 years ago…2 days before my own birthday. Unfortunate for him to have died so close to the day but it’s something I have now got used to, as I know there’s nothing I can do about it. In the beginning it was horrific, the thought of celebrating when my life began while knowing his own life was extinguished around then tore me up inside. Now I only remember the good times. 

I will always miss the sound of his voice. My bedroom wall was right next to our parent’s bedroom and I could always hear him, first thing in the morning, as he spoke quietly to mum before getting up. I could never hear exactly what was said but just the tone of his voice, at that moment, always made me feel safe and as if all was well in the world. 

To me he was my hero – swatting a bee away when it stung me, telling his own brand of bedtime stories, pointing out constellations in the night sky…I could go on forever, did I mention he was good at DIY? Photography? Indeed he helped me so much to develop my photographic eye, again no intended pun! One thing he taught me about it, which I’ll never forget, it’s better to take a photo when the sky is cloudy as it adds an atmosphere to the scene. 

He was not only multi-talented and knowledgeable but he also lead an amazing life, he was always regaling us with tales from his past. One key memory from his life that I’ll always remember is he was a ship’s Doctor, having sailed the South Pacific – it opened his eyes to the world. He wanted to share that feeling with us, so we were fortunate enough to travel to so many places – to see so many cultures. He taught us to embrace everyone, metaphorically speaking, regardless of who they were and where they were from.

Most people remember him as this kind-hearted man, no pun intended, who ran a surgery in a tiny Village in the Midlands. As we were growing up, we hardly saw our Dad but I never held it against him because I knew he was doing something important – I was so proud of him and the work he was doing. I’m glad he isn’t around for Covid-19 though, I know he would have been plucked out of retirement to help and frankly I don’t think he would have survived it.

When I was very little, Dad had aspirations that I might follow in his footsteps and become a Doctor. That being said, he never pressured me into it – if anything he wanted me to do whatever made me happy. Thanks to his continuous love and support, I achieved more than I ever dreamed possible in the Arts. I just wish he was here to see me at SCA – you were right dad, I should have gone with my original dream of working in Advertising. I used to feel guilty that I never became a Doctor like him and couldn’t save people like he had. However, now that Covid is here, for the first time I feel like I’m finally able to help the medical community – by staying in!

We setup a donation page in our father’s name on the British Heart Foundation’s site in 2019. The Copywriting on the page is actually my mum’s: 

https://giftofhope.bhf.org.uk/In-Memory/Arif-Khan-46

Had we known about it when he passed away I know we certainly would have set it up then. It’s a charity we have always supported as a household and continue to do so now, especially as the condition runs in our family. I know Covid has meant everyone is tight for cash these days but any small change you have lying around would mean so much. Not just to our family but for other families where crucial medical research will save their loved one.