Footballer's gratitutde to team who helped him to defeat cancer
A BURTON Albion coach and former football star has handed over a generous donation to say thank you to the staff who treated him after being diagnosed with cancer at Burton’s Queen’s Hospital more than 10 years ago.
Youth team manager Mark Sale, who made more than 200 appearances in the Football League, organised a series of charity events including a five-a-side football tournament and golf and race days, raising a £1,700.
The 39-year-old organised the events to support the Belvedere Road hospital and to show his gratitude for the care that he received.
He said: “I had just signed for Rushden and Diamonds Football Club and the coaching staff were concerned by my lack of early season fitness.
“Initially I trained longer and harder, but when things still didn’t improve, I decided to have some routine blood tests.”
The worrying results led the husband and father of one from Hoar Cross to undergo further hospital tests, before he received the news that he had been dreading.
“I was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Disease — a form of cancer which affects cells in the lymphatic system — and immediately started a six-month course of chemotherapy,” he said.
“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.”
After recovering, Mr Sale went on to appear for Doncaster Rovers and Tamworth before ending his career at Hednesford Town in 2007.
The former striker, who began his career with Stoke City, said: “This has been another year with fantastic community support.
“I would like to personally thank everybody who supported the three events and contributed towards such a worthy cause”
Jim Hollingworth, consultant at the trust who heads the Burton Cancer Patients Fund, said: “We really appreciate Mark’s fund-raising efforts and are so grateful.
“We are thrilled with this very generous donation which will be used to help us to continue providing the highest standard of support and services for all our patients with cancer.”
