Fund-raising appeal by Hamilton man who supports Dundee United

A Dundee United supporting Hamilton man is appealing for the public’s help to pay for life-saving treatment for his cousin in Australia.

Seventy-year-old Tommy McFarlane has already run the Stirling Marathon as he tries to raise money for his cousin Joe Canning.

Joe moved to Brisbane with his wife Marion and son Kris in 1995, but a horrific accident at a pool turned their Australian dream into a nightmare.

Kris hit his head on concrete diving into a pool and has been in a coma for more than a decade.

He requires around-the-clock care from his parents, but his mother has now been diagnosed with terminal cancer.

Meanwhile, Joe requires open-heart surgery and needs the operation before he has to assume responsibility for looking after Kris full-time.

He will be unable to work while he recuperates, which is why Tommy is trying to raise money for the family.

Tommy became a Dundee United fan after splitting from his wife, who then moved to Dundee.

When Tommy visited he would take his son to Tannadice and the pair soon became fans.

Tommy still regularly attends games.

He was at Thursday night’s crunch play-off clash with Hamilton Accies and will be cheering on United at New Douglas Park on Sunday – much to the chagrin of his friends and neighbours

So far Tommy has raised more than £1,000 for his cousin.

Anyone who wishes to contribute can do so by visiting www.justgiving.com/ crowd funding/ mary-monaghan

United fan Tommy McFarlane’s fund-raising efforts included a run in the Stirling Marathon.