Five-a-side contest boosts cancer charity

A FUNDRAISING football tournament will boost a cancer charity which is supporting a Hinckley woman’s battle with the disease.

Friends Jonny Larsen and James Mawby have organised the sporting event as a celebration of the work done by Leicester based Hope Against Cancer.

Thanks to the charity Jonny’s wife Jo is receiving trial treatment at Leicester Royal Infirmary. This involves injecting two anti-cancer drugs into her system every three weeks. Hope nurses are on hand each time to help Jo through the experience.

Inspired by their efforts Jonny decided he wanted to do something positive in return.

He said: “My amazing wife Jo was diagnosed with stage four secondary breast cancer in September 2015. There is no cure for stage four, so emphasis is simply on extension and quality of life.

“I chose to raise money for Hope Against Cancer because of the immediate impact that it has had on Jo’s life. The amazing work that the Hope nurses do is indescribable, I cannot put into words how caring and thoughtful their nurses are. Unfortunately, Jo is a regular at the ward but the personality of their nurses epitomises the work they do.”

Jonny and Jo married recently - one of the activities on Jo’s bucket list. Jo also hopes to remain well enough to visit 100 countries and with Jonny raise £50,000 for Hope. The couple met more than five years ago at bookmakers Ladbrokes/Coral in Burbage.

Jo, 37, said: “The treatment has definitely increased my life expectancy. I will never be in remission but the cancer cells in my body are not active at the moment. Fingers crossed it keeps working for as long as possible.”

The five-a-side competition, involv- ing successful soccer side NKF Burbage and Burbage Cricket Club, takes place on Sunday May 28 at the Hinckley Road recreational ground in Burbage.

A host of mens and womens teams are taking part with officials from the area in charge and the benefit of FA affiliation.

It is the centrepiece of a whole day of awareness raising and money mustering offering fun activities for the whole family.

Various stalls will be pitched, raffle prizes can be won and an outdoor bar, barbecue and cake sale will ensure patrons don’t go thirsty or hungry.

Later in the day the focus will switch to the Cross Keys pub on Hinckley Road for a night of live music featuring four Hinckley bands.

James Mawby, a coach at NKF Burbage said: “We want this to be an awesome day and it would be great if as many people as possible came along to help make it a massive success.”