A Workington football club, battling to stay on its home ground, has won praise for the fundraising work it has been doing.
Over the last two years Workington Juniors have donated £11,000 to the club’s chosen charity, UK research into high end cancer treatment.
Their donations have supported the purchase of a new innovative technology that aids and supports the treatment of patients with head and neck cancers.
Professor Christian Ottensmeier and the Tumour Immunology Group at the University of Liverpool have written with thanks to the club for their efforts.
Then high end equipment is only one of a handful in the UK and is a ground-breaking piece of technology that allows really advanced visualisation.
It allows a close study of the complex micro environment of a cancerous tumour and how infiltrating immune cells interact and co-locate.
In the letter of thanks the Professor and his team say the aim is to use the equipment, aided by the club’s donation, to analyse samples collected from patients. The funds will also allow the purchase of a bank of metal tagged markers to build a panel which can be involved in tumour exploration.
The letter concluded: “We are very much looking forward to generating the first sets of date in University of Liverpool on this machine and will share results later in the year.”
David Garrett, the club chairman at Workington Juniors said: “As a club we are honoured to see this vital piece of equipment supporting such pioneering work for people who are4 under such intensive treatment.
“We are proud to receive such great news and in the future intend to find other ways to support this new technology.”
Workington Juniors, have in the past, also sent their old strips and clothes to a charity in Africa for distribution among football teams there.
The club is waiting to hear whether Workington Town Council has bought their ground at the Ranch, Moss Bay where they have played for 20 years. The owner has agreed to sell to the town council, which would allow the Juniors to stay and develop their facilities.
