Charity football match to be held in Havant's Westleigh Park for boy with cancer - with Portsmouth FC player Marlon Pack to attend
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Lenny Cook, seven, was diagnosed with B cell high grade Lymphoma on May 2, two months after his mother noticed he sounded like he had a cold and one of his tonsils was swollen. He has since undergone ‘aggressive’ chemotherapy treament for which he regularly has to stay for extended periods in Southampton General Hospital and Queen Alexandra Hospital. His family hope to celebrate his recover by taking him to Disneyland in the USA.
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Hide AdThe football match fundraiser, organised by United Minds FC, will kick off at 7.30pm on Friday, June 30 at Westleigh Park, Havant and see United Minds FC face Lenny’s 11 – a team made up of Lenny’s family and friends. Portsmouth FC player Marlon Pack is set to attend and show his support.
Entry will cost a minimum of £5, with additional donations welcomed. Proceeds will go towards a Gofundme page which was launched by United Minds board member – and family friend of 25 years – Nick Jordan.
Speaking ahead of the match, Nick said: ‘If we can get them to America, that would be the ideal scenario. I think we’ve got the capability to do it. Once he’s better, the idea would be to book the tickets through the fundraiser and present that to him as a sort of “congratulations – you’re better.’
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Hide AdNick also plans to complete a sponsored Tough Mudder race for Lenny.
Lenny’s mother Danielle Brophy explained that Lenny would love to visit the resort’s Marvel Avengers Campus. Speaking earlier to The News earlier this month, she said: ‘No child should have to go through this and no parent should have to sit and watch. It is absolutely heartbreaking because you just can’t help him. So many different procedures and feeling so poorly but it’s something he has got to go through to get to the other side.’
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She added that her son is in ‘good spirits’ despite the toll the treatment is taking. You can donate to the fundraiser here.