Hartlepool United manager Graeme Lee says he'll be forever grateful to Crystal Palace after the club helped raise money for his wife's cancer treatment prior to their FA Cup fourth-round tie at Selhurst Park on Saturday.
Lee's wife Gemma was diagnosed with a brain tumour in 2019 and told she had 12 months to live but has been able to continue her fight thanks to a trial drug called ONC201.
A years' supply of the medication costs Lee's family around £60,000, and on Friday night the JustGiving page set up to help raise money for that treatment was given a boost after Palace donated £1,000 and encouraged their fans on social media to pledge what they could too.
By the time kick-off arrived on Saturday afternoon the initial target of £60,000 had been surpassed and despite losing the game 2-0, Lee said he would never forget the tie and all it brought him and his family.
“What Crystal Palace have done for me and the family is absolutely immense and I’ll never forget it,” he said in his post-match press conference.
“This game was a big game [for me]. I would have remembered this game no matter what but for what Crystal Palace and their supporters have done, I think the funds have already gone above a year's supply of medication for my wife, which for us knowing we’ve got that is absolutely unbelievable.
“Not only the funds but the support as well, that means as much as the money because my wife knowing there are that many people supporting her and giving her well wishes there can only be positive things from it.
“I’ll support Crystal Palace now and hope they do well and want them to win and succeed because of what they’ve done for us.”
His opposite manager Patrick Vieira also touched on the subject during his post-match press conference, saying: "We are thinking about his family and we are giving them 100% support [to] keep fighting because of course that's a really difficult period to go through as a family."
The Frenchman later tweeted that he was "very proud" of Palace fans for their generosity in donating to the fundraiser, which has currently surpassed a total of £70,000.
