A charity fun day and football match has raised an amazing £3000 for two cancer charities in memory of those who have lost their fight with the disease.
Ryan Flannigan and his family held their third event recently to help Macmillan and Marie Curie Cancer Support after Ryan’s father-in-law, Terry McMillan, passed away in February 2019 after being diagnosed with lung cancer three years earlier.
He said he was delighted the third fundraiser was able to return after a two-year pause due to covid, adding over £5000 has been raised in total over the three events.
Ryan said both charities had supported wife Laura and the whole family after Terry was diagnosed with cancer and they wanted to give something back.
He said people in the community had been very generous and said he was overwhelmed when one local woman donated £1000 after losing her daughter and husband to the disease.
Ryan explained: “Our charity event was aid of Macmillan and Marie Curie Cancer Support as my father-in-law was diagnosed with lung cancer in 2016 and sadly he passed on February 13, 2019 after giving it his all to beat this horrible disease.
“Macmillan and Marie Curie were exceptional with myself and Laura throughout as we were only 22 and 24 at the time and as you can imagine this took its toll on us too, especially Laura who cared for her dad’s everyday needs – she’s a superstar for what she had to deal with and kept a happy face for her dad.
“We did a charity event in 2018 where I proposed to Laura as her dad was in attendance in front of around 150 people so I was rather nervous.
“Then we did the event in 2019. Sadly, Laura’s dad had passed but he did see us tie the knot in August 2018.
“As covid kicked-in we couldn’t have the events in the following few years.
“So this year we managed to organise the event again and what a turn out we had!
“At least 250 people attended and we had raffles, inflatables and games for the kids – we even had a visit from Mickey Mouse and Chase from Paw Patrol.
“We then had our annual charity football match with a team captained by myself playing against a team captained by my brother.
“We had a lady approach us and donated £1000 in memory of her husband and daughter who both died of cancer, which was an incredible gesture of kindness.
“When we counted up the original money we were well over our target of £1000 and were approaching the £3000 mark when my friend Aaron Mcilwraith donated the shortfall to make us hit the £3000 mark which we are totally humbled by. He did this in honour of his auntie Susie.
“Overall we have raised £5000 during these events for both the charities.”
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