FOOTBALL star and Burton Albion coach Mark Sale has donated nearly £2,000 to Burton’s Queen’s Hospital to thank the staff who helped him recover from cancer 10 years ago.
Mr Sale held a host of charity events, including a football match, golf day and auction, throughout the autumn.
He has now donated the £1,800 raised by participants to the Belvedere Road hospital.
The father-of-one was diagnosed following blood tests after coaches at his then club, Rushden and Diamonds, became concerned by his apparent “lack of fitness”.
The Hoar Cross resident had further tests, before being told he had Hodgkin’s Disease.
He said: “I was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Disease — a form of cancer that affects cells in the lymphatic system and immediately started a six-month course of chemotherapy.
“Naturally, I was worried about my future and whether I would be able to play again, but, thanks to the exceptional care and support that I was given by the hospital and its staff, I made a full recovery.
“This donation is just my way of giving something back and saying thank you.”
Mr Sale, who made more than 200 appearances in the Football League before becoming the Brewers’ youth and reserve coach in 2007, organised the charity match over the summer.
The 37-year-old said: “The game, between the Meynell Ingram Arms, Hoar Cross, and the Red Lion, Newborough, really captured the imagination. It took place in August with the Red Lion winning a hard fought victory.
“I’m also grateful to everyone who supported the subsequent golf day and charity auction.”
Jim Hollingworth, consultant of the trust heading the Burton Cancer Patients Fund, said: “We really appreciate Mark’s fund-raising efforts and are so grateful to all those people who supported these three events recently.
“It also enables support for the delivery of frontline cancer services delivered by our dedicated staff and makes a real difference to patient care.”