Press Release - 05th December 2008
Manchester United teams up with The Christie
Leanne Parker, aged 19, from Bolton is pictured with the playersPlayers from Manchester United visited The Christie on Thursday 4th December 2009 to spread some Christmas cheer amongst teenage cancer patients.
Ryan Giggs was joined by Cristiano Ronaldo, Anderson, Nani and Manucho to meet patients on the teenage unit at the specialist cancer hospital.
The Christmas visit to The Christie is a regular appointment on the United calendar and the players spent a few hours on the ward, handing out presents and chatting with patients and their families.
Ward manager David Wright said: “All our patients look forward to the United players visiting and this year was no exception. It is tough for them being in hospital at this time of year, so it’s a very welcome visit and certainly put some smiles on their faces. We’re very grateful for United’s continued support.”
During the visit, Ryan Giggs also took time out to make a personal call to Christie patient Tom Buckley. Tom, aged 23 from Northwich is a huge United fan, but couldn’t be there because he is mid way through a sponsored coast to coast walk from which he’s hoping to raise £20,000 for The Christie’s charity. The players had heard Tom’s story about his treatment for a brain tumour in the local press, and have invited him as a VIP guest into the players’ lounge at the forthcoming game against Middlesborough later this month.
(left to right) Cristiano Ronaldo and Ryan Giggs are pictured with physiotherapist Kate
Roberts and occupational therapist Anna Mann.
Whilst at The Christie, the players also officially launched two new posts to support the rehabilitation of younger patients which have been the funded by The Chrisite’s partnership with Manchester United, and are the first posts of their kind in the country. Manchester United chose The Christie as one of its charity partners last year, and they are well on the way to raising £250,000 to help patients adjust to life after their cancer.
The money has now helped The Christie recruit an occupational therapist to teach techniques to help patients cope with the effects of their cancer and treatment in their daily lives, and a physiotherapist to help patients over come physical problems through rehabilitation.
They will mainly be based in The Christie’s teenager cancer units – a nationally renowned unit and one of only eight teenage cancer units in the country. It is the second largest of its kind in the UK, with 50 new patients every year and over 1,300 admissions annually.
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The Christie in Manchester is one of the leading cancer centres in Europe - registering around 12,500 new patients and treating about 40,000 patients every year.
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