Women Launch Podcast on Living with Alcoholic Fathers, Highlighting Holiday Challenges

Two women, who both experienced the loss of their fathers due to alcoholism, have collaborated to share their stories via a podcast. Sarah Drage, from New Romney in Kent, and Amy Dickson, from Reigate in Surrey, host the “Children of Alcoholics” podcast, which is supported by the National Association for Children of Alcoholics (NACOA) charity. Steve Drage, Ms. Drage’s father, passed away from organ failure in 2017. This occurred after he relapsed following the death of his own father, despite having maintained sobriety for 16 months. Ms. Drage noted that significant occasions, such as Christmas, could be particularly difficult for individuals living with an alcoholic. “There’s already an excuse to start drinking in the morning, and that was tough because we knew he’d had an excuse to start drinking straight away,” she stated. “We never knew what mood we were going to catch my dad in – whether he was drinking, whether he hadn’t been drinking, whether we were going to do present opening. He was desperate to get up and have a drink.” She further elaborated on her father’s condition: “You could always see it in my dad, he’d start shaking, he was physically dependent on alcohol. Towards the end of his life it was a litre of vodka a day, that we knew of.” Ms. Dickson’s father, also named Steve, died in 2020 from multiple alcohol-related illnesses. She expressed that the podcast offers an opportunity to assist others. “Every story’s different, but there’s so many threads going through it, so many feelings, of not telling anybody, feeling lonely, not knowing how to cope,” she commented. Despite the challenges, Ms. Drage recalled her father’s final Christmas as a positive memory. “He was sober, and that was one of the best Christmases we’d ever had with him,” she shared. “We played board games, we were there as a family, all together, and it was the dad that I remembered as a little girl.” For those impacted by this narrative, the BBC Action Line web page provides a compilation of organizations prepared to offer support and guidance. To stay updated, follow BBC Kent on Facebook, on X, and on Instagram. Story ideas can be submitted to southeasttoday@bbc.co.uk or via WhatsApp at 08081 002250. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC disclaims responsibility for the content found on external sites. Information regarding our approach to external linking is available.