Days held in memory of 23-year-old Bradley Coombes from Waterlooville who died of cancer

A charity football match will take place on July 17 between The Ship Inn football team and The Castle, in memory of 23-year-old Bradley Coombes who passed away in February.

And a day of music and barbecue food is set to be held at The Ship Inn, in Langstone, on July 22, with money from both days going towards charity Young Lives Vs Cancer – which supported Bradley.

Caroline, Bradley’s mum, said: ‘It’s called “Bradley’s perfect day” because it’s absolutely Bradley’s perfect day, he loved barbecues, we had so many last summer because he was at home and he loved them. Football was the passion of his life so we’ve got a football match. He loved working there, so that’s why it’s at The Ship.’

Bradley was diagnosed with bowel cancer just before Christmas 2019, at 22 years old. The keen footballer had been going back and forth to the doctors for over two years with stomach problems.

‘His stomach started to play up to the point where he was on the train and he couldn’t stay on the train any longer because he had such an upset stomach that had developed into bleeding,’ Caroline said.

‘This time, the doctor took him quite seriously. She noticed he’d been coming backwards and forwards with stomach problems so she said “let’s take some bloods just in case.”

‘By the end of the week he got a phone call from the doctors to say his iron was very low so she wants to see him back. Then she referred him for a colonoscopy.’

On December 17, Bradley was told he had stage four bowel cancer. He was rushed into surgery the following day but, after more than a year of treatment, he died at home on February, 19 with his Mum, Dad, Grandmother, girlfriend Alice and dog, Buster, by his side.

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Caroline said: ‘He wouldn’t entertain it, he wouldn’t accept it. The only time he accepted it, was on the 19th of February, that morning. He just looked at me and said to me ‘mum I can’t do this any more’... And 14 hours later, he was gone.’

On the day of his funeral friends, family, work colleagues and pupils at his old schools lined the streets.

Caroline has set a goal of raising £23,000 this year, before Bradley’s birthday on April 2, for the charity. She will also be joining a group of friends to take part in a skydive in September.

To donate in memory of Bradley, please visit the fundraising page justgiving.com/team/bradleycoombes.

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

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