CHARITY COLLECTION AND RAFFLE IN MEMORY OF CLUB LEGEND

Jess Carney and family will be raising awareness and funds of pancreatic cancer at a Blyth Spartan home game at Croft Park on 25th April 2015, in memory of her father legendary football player Steve Carney.

The club, which was once coined “the most famous Non League football team in the world”, agreed for Jess to hold a bucket collection and raffle at the match against Marine Football.  Jess hopes to raise hundreds for Pancreatic Cancer Action, which exists to save lives through early diagnosis.

Every hour, someone is diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and they face a terrible prognosis.  They have just a 4% chance of survival and an average life expectancy of 4-6 months.

Jess said: “My Dad was only 55 when he died of pancreatic cancer.  Before that, he was fit and healthy but this disease took him from us.

“Pancreatic cancer is so aggressive and very hard to detect.  Survival rates have not improved in 40 years and receives very little research funding.”

Steve Carney was a member of the legendary Spartans side that reached the fifth round of the FA Cup during the 1977/78 season taking Wrexham to a replay that was played out in front of over 42,000 fans at St James Park.  A number of the 1977/8 team will be in attendance at the event.

Jess continued: “My Dad was such an inspiration to me and I want to do as much as I can to ensure that there is more research and awareness of panreatic cancer so more people can survive.

Pancreatic cancer is the UK’s fifth biggest cancer killer with the lowest survival rate of all 21 common cancers.

Pancreatic Cancer Action is committed to working towards earlier diagnosis of the disease so that more patients at diagnosed in time for potentially life-saving surgery.

Ali Stunt, CEO of Pancreatic Cancer Action and a rare seven year survivor of the disease, said: “We are so grateful to Jess for organising this fundraiser.  What a great way to remember her dad who was clearly a popular man.

“Sadly all of us at the charity are aware of the devastating impact that late diagnosis of pancreatic cancer has on people’s lives with many patients surviving a very short time from diagnosis. With the support of generous individuals like Jess and all the volunteers involved, we can continue are vital work to get more people diagnosed early.”

To find out more about pancreatic cancer and Pancreatic Cancer Action, please visit www.pancreaticcanceraction.org.