Three points for Partick Thistle this afternoon would put a spring in Kyle Turner’s step – something that should prove useful the following day.
The Jags take on Cove Rangers at Balmoral looking to bounce back from a 1-0 defeat to Inverness in their previous outing and maintain their push for the play-offs, but the weekend’s real highlight for Turner will arrive tomorrow as he embarks on a sponsored walk up Ben Lomond.
The midfielder has been his usual creative self on the park this term for Thistle but off of it, life away from football has provided a sharp dose of perspective. His mother, Suzanne, was diagnosed with cancer at the beginning of the campaign and so Turner has found himself balancing his playing career with caring for his family.
There was good news, however, when Turner and his family were informed that his mum had been given the all-clear and that their nightmare was over. Now, the Thistle midfielder is determined to repay the Beatson Cancer Charity, based in the west end of Glasgow, for all the care that they provided during a very stressful period for the Turner clan.
Turner set out to raise £2000 via a sponsored walk but has brought in nearly twice as much – something he is incredibly grateful for – while team-mates and others associated with the club have been pitching in, too.
“The boys have been brilliant, especially the boys I travel to training with every day – Brian Graham, Ross Docherty, Harry Milne and Cammy Smith,” Turner explained. “We are in the car a lot travelling and they have been a big help. Even Jacqui [Low, the club’s former chairman] sent me a message on Wednesday with a nice donation as well.
“Even when my mum was going through chemotherapy, she was still coming to my games when she felt like it or if it was dry and not too cold. She came to every game prior to that and now she’s back coming to every game. It’s been good for her. It gets her out the house, coming to see me play football.
“Even from a young age when I was pro youth, she would come here, there and everywhere with me. Whether it was Aberdeen, Inverness – she was always there with me when I was growing up. So she has been a big part of it. Even at Stranraer, that two-hour trek every second week is hard going but she enjoyed it and got used to it.
“Obviously you give a wee bit more if you know she is there and what she is going through. I think inside it just makes you… it doesn’t make you work harder, it’s just in your head that you want to do her proud and she wants to see the team do well as well.
“All the staff up there [at the Beatson], you don’t realise how many people are going through it until you go in there. I went in with my mum when she was doing her chemo and it is scary to see that many people in there that are ill.
“Some stories are worse than others but I think the amount of work they put in and how much they make you feel at home, how comfortable they make you and the communication to let you know how she is getting on – it’s all good.”
Kris Doolan, Turner’s manager, has nothing but admiration for his player. Doolan can truly sympathise with his player’s plight, having been through a similar situation during his own playing days in Maryhill.
“I think it's absolutely amazing what he’s doing,” Doolan said. “I think it’s obviously something really close to his heart and he'll see first-hand the work that the Beatson do, he gets to see behind the scenes.
“I’ve had a similar experience in terms of my dad being through it and I was the same while I was playing here. For six months I was driving him up and down to the Beatson, dropping him off, going to training, going back to collect him, take him home and then the same the very next day.
“It’s hard work for everybody but what an amazing charity and what an amazing set-up they have. In my testimonial year we nominated the Beatson as our nominated charity as well because it has such an effect on families and an impact on families.
“Thankfully my dad recovered completely and likewise, I think Kyle’s mum has recovered completely as well and that's down to the fact of their hard work and their attitude to getting treatment but also the nurses and the staff at the Beatson as well.
“It’s a fantastic charity and it’s brilliant that Kyle is actually stepping forward and doing something to raise some money for such a great charity.”
