Sir Bobby backed by North’s top clubs

Mar 26 2008 by Chris Robinson, The Journal

SIR Bobby Robson launched his fundraising cancer research foundation revealing he received his first donation hours before the big day.

The former Newcastle United manager is hoping to raise at least £500,000 to help equip a specialist unit for the early detection and treatment of the disease.

At the launch of The Sir Bobby Robson Foundation yesterday, the 75-year-old told an audience of special guests that he and wife Lady Elsie received a knock at their Chester-le-Street home from a lady carrying a brown envelope, containing cash.

He joked at yesterday’s launch: “At first I thought she was a football agent. But inside that envelope there was a donation of £274.71, which had been collected at a funeral. The man who was being buried had asked the mourners not to buy him flowers but to make a donation to the foundation because he had heard what we were trying to do.”

The former England coach, who is battling cancer for the fifth time and has been told that this time it is incurable, said he wished the foundation to be his legacy.

It will initially focus on the early detection and treatment of cancer and will also help support clinical trials of promising new treatments to tackle the disease. Its first goal is to raise the money urgently required to set up The Sir Bobby Robson Cancer Trials Research Centre at the new Northern Centre for Cancer Care in Newcastle.

Money raised will fund dedicated research facilities including a 12-bed unit with treatment rooms, a state-of-the-art laboratory and consulting facilities, all of which is being constructed at the Freeman Hospital in Newcastle.

The foundation has been backed by all three North premiership teams and has been allowed access to use their database to appeal to season ticket holders and given permission to sell charity merchandise in club shops.

Sir Bobby told The Journal: “Between the three clubs we’ve got 75-80,000 season ticket holders. If one out of every two sends me £10 – I’m not asking for £10,000, though I hope I’ll get that from somebody – which is not a lot, I will immediately raise £400,000, I’m nearly there through football-conscious people.

“All the three chairmen said, ‘Bobby, we will be delighted to help you with our database and to put something in the programme between now and the end of the season making supporters aware of what you’re trying to do.’”

Sir Bobby set up the foundation after being asked initially for help with contacts for fundraising by the oncologist treating him, Dr Ruth Plummer. She said: “We are extremely grateful to Sir Bobby for his commitment to supporting research which will benefit cancer patients in the North East.”

Sir Bobby was joined at the launch at the Copthorne Hotel, in Newcastle, by sports pundits Des Lynam, Jim Rosenthal, and Bob Wilson. Mr Lynam said: “Which of our lives has not been touched by cancer? It is vital we give The Sir Bobby Robson Foundation our support. And it is typical of Sir Bobby to be thinking of and trying to help other people before himself. That’s the kind of man he is.”

To make a donation to The Sir Bobby Robson Foundation visit www.justgiving.com/TheSirBobbyRobsonFoundation or send a cheque to Sir Bobby Robson Foundation, PO Box 307, Heaton, Newcastle, NE7 7QG.

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