Everton provide big boost for young Sunderland fan's cancer fund

, 13 September, 129comments  |  Jump to most recent
Everton have donated £200,000 to the fund to get Bradley Lowery the treatment he needs in his fight against cancer.

The five-year-old Sunderland fan was the mascot for last night's Premier League game against the Blues at the Stadium of Light and supporters from both teams gave him a rousing applause in the fifth minute.

Bradley's family had set up a fundraising effort to try and collect the £700,000 he needs to fly to America and receive treatment for neuroblastoma, a condition he looked to have overcome last year until it returned. The total raised stood at around £500,000 around kick off, with Everton fans also contributing in great numbers.

Everton FC's generosity will push Bradley's fund past its goal and the club have also invited him and his family to the return fixture between the two teams in February where they will auction off memorabilia to raise extra money.  



Reader Comments (129)

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Ian Bennett
1 Posted 12/09/2016 at 22:29:03
A touch of class. Well done Everton.
Tommy Coleman
2 Posted 12/09/2016 at 22:29:14
What a gesture. Proud to be a Toffee.
Oliver Molloy
3 Posted 12/09/2016 at 22:29:49
What a gesture.
Jay Wood
4 Posted 12/09/2016 at 22:31:22
Class as always on such matters from the Blues.
Ian Cowhig
5 Posted 12/09/2016 at 22:32:39
Bit of class from our club in football and in things that are more important.
John Audsley
6 Posted 12/09/2016 at 22:34:54
200 grand is a superb gesture, get well soon little man xxx

Well done Everton.

Best club in the World.

John Codling
7 Posted 12/09/2016 at 22:39:01
Fabulous gesture from the club, and why not? Come on, little man.
Ian McDowell
8 Posted 12/09/2016 at 22:39:45
Brilliant gesture by the club. So proud to be a blue tonight.
Dave Williams
9 Posted 12/09/2016 at 22:41:20
What a great touch of class from BK and FM to donate that money. Bill has more than his share of critics but he does this kind of thing better than most – well done to our great club!
Jim Potter
10 Posted 12/09/2016 at 22:41:53
That 200k gesture is everything I love about our brilliant club. Well done - and good luck to the young lad.
Drew O'Neall
11 Posted 12/09/2016 at 22:43:39
I once heard this translation of Everton's famous mantra, nil satis nisi optinum; To be the best alone is not enough - after their 0-3 win to make that gesture, it has never been more apt.

Very proud blue.

COYB

Clive Lewis
12 Posted 12/09/2016 at 22:45:20
Fantastic gesture 200k proud to be a blue.
Liam Reilly
13 Posted 12/09/2016 at 22:48:19
In a football world of mercenaries and inflated salaries, the gesture from the club for that young man is what separates this club from the rest.

Well done whomever authorised that.

Great result also.

Alan Peake
14 Posted 12/09/2016 at 22:55:56
Just looked on the Sunderland forum, nothing but praise from them for Everton's donation, saying what a classy club we are.
Kevin Rowlands
15 Posted 12/09/2016 at 23:05:54
BTW lads I'm pretty sure the NBC coverage here in the States said the little fella was in remission and on his way to recovery, fantastic if true. For all the shit football gets its scenes like that that makes you feel good about the game and human beings in general.
James Byrne
16 Posted 12/09/2016 at 23:09:20
A touch of class from Everton with the £200,000 donation at the end – absolutely fantastic.

Joe Clitherow
17 Posted 12/09/2016 at 23:11:25
Kevin, that isn't true. He apparently relapsed in July and that's why he needs the £700k. Pretty obvious that he isn't in remission if there is still an appeal. (Lazy journalism, not having a go at you)
Kevin Rowlands
18 Posted 12/09/2016 at 23:30:27
Joe, I believe you, but they definitely said the little fella was in remission, anyway the bigger picture should be WTF do you need to do a fund raiser for a little kid or any human being to try and save their lives?
Mike Gaynes
19 Posted 13/09/2016 at 02:12:51
What a class organization it is that we support. Proud to be a Blue.
Jamie Sweet
20 Posted 13/09/2016 at 02:17:29
Pure class.
Phil Sammon
21 Posted 13/09/2016 at 03:43:29
How can any form of medical treatment cost £700,000? Absolutely disgraceful.

Best of luck the the lad and his family. Keep fighting!

Alan J Thompson
22 Posted 13/09/2016 at 03:43:58
This makes you even more proud of being an Evertonian.
Well done, Everton.
Daniel Lim
23 Posted 13/09/2016 at 03:55:37
Lukaku should donate his "goal bonus" to this kid, as well as hat-trick bonus if there is such a term in his contract.
Craig Fletcher
24 Posted 13/09/2016 at 04:34:36
Magnificent gesture by the club. Makes me proud to be a blue. Very best of luck to Bradley and his family. Though as Phil says, it is scandalous that life-saving medical treatment like that should be the preserve of only the very rich.
Mike Gaynes
25 Posted 13/09/2016 at 04:59:03
Phil #3 and Craig #6, I'm currently undergoing a treatment that costs that much. Cancer treatment can be extremely complex and new drugs and procedures very costly to develop. And for better or worse, pharma companies will only research and innovate these new treatments if they can make money off them.

The US has no NHS, only private health insurance and Obamacare, so the new drugs do get developed here and then have price tags that seem outrageous if you don't have insurance. Not excusing the cost, just explaining it.

Maybe there "oughta be a law"... but there isn't in the US. And since I'm still walking around, it would be pretty hypocritical of me to make speeches about drug costs.

I wish the little lad all the best. His treatment will not only be expensive, but pretty awful.

Ernie Baywood
26 Posted 13/09/2016 at 05:44:41
Well done to the club and good luck to the young boy.

Without wanting get into point-scoring, it brings into focus that media beat-up around private jets. £6.5k for private flights and they want to refer to us as tight. There are far better things that money can go towards. I'm glad to see the club has a sense of perspective.

William Cartwright
27 Posted 13/09/2016 at 05:47:08
Thanks for the explanation Mike and trust you will stay on the upside. We do support an amazing club and EITC as well as the Club Management deserve so much respect in this regard.
COYB
Gareth Clark
28 Posted 13/09/2016 at 05:58:36
Absolute class.
Ian Cowhig
29 Posted 13/09/2016 at 06:43:38
The club are also auctioning the match shirts for the fund.

Best wishes to Bradley and his family.

Very proud to be a blue.

Mick Davies
30 Posted 13/09/2016 at 06:44:32
As for the £200,000, it doesn't surprise me at all. I've been involved in raising charity money for a very ill young relative who needs treatment abroad. Everton have been fantastic with donations of merchandise and free tickets etc.

Tranmere have also helped out, obviously in a smaller way, but the richest club on Merseyside have done sweet FA. This despite the lad being a red!!! And this is not just because I'm a blue, other fundraisers have told me similar stories.

Dave Bickley
31 Posted 13/09/2016 at 06:53:44
Best wishes to young Bradley, a magnificent gesture from the club, so proud to be a Blue.
Michael Beston
32 Posted 13/09/2016 at 07:05:46
Your fans were amazing last night, and your club followed that up as well, they have added a lot of secondary fans with that gesture and you must all be so proud. All the best for the rest of the season and of course hoping everything goes well for young Bradley
Peter McHugh
33 Posted 13/09/2016 at 07:12:55
I hope Michael and Lyndon don't mind me posting this but you can all help too by donating a £1 by texting BRAD02£1” to 70070.
Liam Reilly
34 Posted 13/09/2016 at 07:23:15
Interesting that yesterday's headline on Football365 was 'Rom was hacked off with Everton for not paying his £6½K airfare', but today this gesture showing the good that the game can do, doesn't even make their site. Hopefully they'll rectify that later.

Well done, Bill; who according to Koeman is responsible for the gesture.

Joe O'Brien
35 Posted 13/09/2016 at 07:24:31
Pure class, just pure class from the club. It didn't surprise me that much when I heard the news because it just underlines what we all know, that we support an amazing club. Well done, Everton.

Hope the treatment goes well, Bradley, stay strong young man. Same goes for you Mike, hope you make a full recovery.

Daniel @23 – I'm sure that these donations are given in private. It wouldn't surprise me either that the team made a whip around and came up with close to the same amount again. The likes of Jags and Bainesy, you could see them organising something like that.

Tom Magill
36 Posted 13/09/2016 at 07:29:23
Unbelievable gesture, what a team! Best club in the world.

Good luck, wee man.

Geoff Evans
37 Posted 13/09/2016 at 07:35:58
The result was brilliant. The gesture was sheer class. Well done, Mr Koeman and Mr Moshiri.
Mike Allison
38 Posted 13/09/2016 at 07:39:21
I'd like to repeat Peter's post (33) and encourage fellow TWers to donate. You type BRAD02 £1 and send it to 70700. If you replace the 1 with any number up to 10 you donate that much instead.
Michael Femia
39 Posted 13/09/2016 at 07:44:22
Great job by Everton, these are truly the important things in life. Best of luck to the little guy and his family.
Mike Green
40 Posted 13/09/2016 at 07:49:16
Superb gesture, one we should all remember when jumping down the club's throat for things as insignificant as a tweet.

We done Everton – pure class.

John Audsley
41 Posted 13/09/2016 at 07:52:14
I donated last night

Makes you sick to the stomach that we have so many ridiculously over paid executives working for the NHS and the family are having to beg for cash for Bradley's life changing treatment.

Sack 3 executives and the cash arrives – seems fair to me.

Shane Corcoran
42 Posted 13/09/2016 at 08:23:02
How the hell is there a situation where a 5-year-old has to pay £700,000 for life-saving treatment?

Hopefully he makes enough to get over and a nice touch from the Blues.

Kevin Jones
43 Posted 13/09/2016 at 08:47:19
Brought a lump to my throat looking at the poor little guy last night. Sunderland have played it right by putting him on the Telly. I'm pretty certain he'll get every penny and a bit more after his story was told.

I thought Sky could have put the donation details up, but maybe they can't for some reason.

Anyway, well done, Everton; once again, proud to be a Blue.

Dave Abrahams
44 Posted 13/09/2016 at 08:51:17
Mike (25) thanks for your explanation on the cost of drugs for cancer treatment and wishing you the best of luck with your own fight against this terrible decease.
Roger Helm
45 Posted 13/09/2016 at 08:56:44
Well Shane, the drugs are extremely expensive. It can cost a billion dollars to get a drug to market – too much for the taxpayer to find, even if government had the expertise to make them, which it doesn't. So if Big Pharma doesn't make them, they don't get made. And the companies have to make a profit, or they go bust, and the drugs don't get made.

Cancer drugs cost so much because childhood cancers are rare, so the drugs are only bought occasionally, unlike long-term drugs for hypertension and pain, with millions of prescriptions every year.

We don't notice it so much in our system where the money comes from government, NICE permitting, but in insurance based systems the cost is more obvious.

Anyway, best of luck to the lad, and well done Everton.

John Hughes
46 Posted 13/09/2016 at 09:05:12
Perhaps that's why we are called "The People's Club"? Everton in the Community.
Mat Smith
47 Posted 13/09/2016 at 09:10:14
Is the number 70700 or 70070? (Seems to be both in this thread.)
John Critchley
48 Posted 13/09/2016 at 09:34:19
Superb gesture by our club, I'm very proud to be a blue. Also all the best to little Bradley and to you Mike.
Phil Fortune
49 Posted 13/09/2016 at 09:45:54
Kenwright might not have the business acumen of some others but this to me is why he is in the Hall of Fame and why I am proud to be an Evertonian!
Shane Corcoran
50 Posted 13/09/2016 at 10:39:24
Roger, my point was about how expensive the drugs are to buy but are they actually that expensive to make?

Is it not the case that these pharmaceutical companies make massive profits?

Ian Burns
51 Posted 13/09/2016 at 10:48:11
When I heard last night about the gesture it brought a lump to my throat and my pride in this great club was such that I wanted to tell the world why we are EFC.

So much looking forward to seeing this brave little lad come through this.

Kevin Jones
52 Posted 13/09/2016 at 10:50:51
The reason we've got no money for these type of needy people is because we spend £10 million of tax payers money to bury Mrs Thatcher etc.. Not her fault but we need to get a grip of what's important
Damian Wilde
53 Posted 13/09/2016 at 11:22:58
Sounds lije a gruelling and traumatic time for the kid and his family. Wishing him all the best for a good recovery.

Well done Everton. Will other clubs follow suit?

Sue Brown
54 Posted 13/09/2016 at 11:27:11
Just Everton that, it does make you proud of our great club. All best wishes to the little fella for a complete recovery.

Also to Mike #25, I hope all goes well for you.

Paul Mackie
55 Posted 13/09/2016 at 11:34:14
There aren't many clubs would donate £200k like that, even though for some it's just a weeks wages for one player. Especially to a fan of a different team! Massively proud of Everton right now.
Patrick Murphy
56 Posted 13/09/2016 at 11:34:17
Oddschanger @Oddschanger

UNBELIEVABLE NEWS!

Five-year-old Bradley Lowery has hit his target of £700,000 to have his treatment in America.

Stephen Jones
57 Posted 13/09/2016 at 11:42:36
So proud to support this great club and hats off to Bill if it was his donation. That's why we are who we are THE BEST. l will be praying for Bradley that he makes a full recovery and also thinking of his family at this awful time. God bless you all.
Roger Helm
58 Posted 13/09/2016 at 11:47:17
Shane, I don't know how much they cost to actually manufacture, but the big money is spent on development and testing.

A lot of the £700,000 of course is medical care - many weeks in very expensive hospitals and intensive care units, lots of highly paid specialists, and so on.

Rob Halligan
59 Posted 13/09/2016 at 11:56:44
Magnificent gesture by the club. This just truly goes to show the difference between EFC and most other clubs, particularly that lot across the park.

I have been involved in fundraising events in the past. Please excuse me if this seems a bit long winded, I will try to keep it as short as possible.

In 2005 a friend of mine was diagnosed with motor neurone disease (MND). Four of us decided to have a charity night to raise money to send him for stem cell treatment abroad, as this is not available in this country. Stem cell treatment can effectively prolong your live.

Anyway, we made contact with both EFC and LFC for donations to raffle / auction on the night, as well as other small businesses, including local radio. Everyone donated except one!

EFC were magnificent. They provided signed balls, shirts, players boots, gloves and photographs to raffle / auction. Further contact was made with LFC for donations. They finally relented, and sent us a signed photograph of Gerrard with the champions league trophy!!

Ex Everton players attended the night and in total we raised over £22K to send our mate for his treatment. Sadly, however he died within two years of being diagnosed.

My second story was more to do with the missus. A few years back she was informed by a work colleague of a tragic story of five young children aged between 5 -16, who'd lost both parents. Again a charity night was arranged, and again contact made with EFC and LFC and other businesses. Again everyone donated, except one!!

EFC sent match tickets, a family ticket for a stadium tour, signed balls and shirts. The missus was furious was LFC. She wrote to them again to explain the reason for the night. Their reply ...we receive requests like this everyday and cannot respond to them all.

This is five kids from your own bloody city, for gods sake!!

Further contact was made with them, and again they finally relented. Five days later, a brown parcel was pushed through the letter box. It was an away shirt of LFC, but from five years previously!!

Anyway another successful night raised about £12K for the five children.

So although they might have won a lot more trophies than us, and we all like to win cups, as a club Everton Football Club is miles ahead of LFC when it comes to helping the local community.

On behalf of myself, TW and all blues all over the world, I wish to thank the club for this magnificent gesture and making us all so proud to support the best club in the world, and we all hope that young Bradley makes a speedy and full recovery.

Olalekan Taofik
60 Posted 13/09/2016 at 12:03:28

What a good gesture from EFC.
Dave Roberts
61 Posted 13/09/2016 at 12:26:21
Great post Rob just confirming what we already knew really!

To be fair though there are a lot of comments on a variety of newspaper websites from Kopites praising Everton for this donation including one who says, 'proud to have you as our neighbours'! Mind you, they are probably just scousers whose heads are not as far up their own arses as their club's head is and who are not necessarily as cold hearted as their club. A lot of comments from all over the world too, from lots of people who have never heard of Everton ........ well they have now!

I was tickled pink by the win last night as we would have lost that last season (in fact, we did, didn't we?) but hearing about the donation just puffed me up no end. When I told the missus she actually started crying.

Never felt so proud of Everton Football Club in my life.

Peter Roberts
62 Posted 13/09/2016 at 12:29:55
Wonderful gesture from the Peoples Club (people might hate that moniker for the connotations with OFFM but I think it is very apt). If there is anything which underlines the community spirit we have, it's the likes of gestures such as this and the ones mentioned above.

I went to the Stoke game, my first in 16 months and on the way up noticed the free school built on Spellow Lane, which I'd not seen before, in addition to the other buildings nearby, all of which has been built with support by EITC. It showed there and then just how much Everton value the community of Walton and I hope this continues if we do leave for the Docklands as we are by far the biggest business in the area and pull in a lot of revenue on matchdays for other businesses around the ground who may otherwise suffer once we have our shiny new stadium.

Brent Stephens
63 Posted 13/09/2016 at 12:34:04
Superb gesture.

Mike Gaynes - I hope you're supporting Everton for many years.

Ant Sorvoja
64 Posted 13/09/2016 at 12:34:56
Many thanks Rob for sharing your story. Super proud to be Evertonian. Our club has demonstrated that it has its core values beyond the commercial greed by respecting the community and showing empathy to truly needy.

Best wishes to little Bradley and Mike Gaynes.

Jack Convery
65 Posted 13/09/2016 at 12:39:37
The donation got a mention on BBC Breakfast and how good EFC are at helping out in the community – well done to all concerned. It Made a change from hearing middle Englanders screaming / whinging about Bake Off going to Channel 4. Priorities people!!!!
Jay Harris
66 Posted 13/09/2016 at 12:40:02
Enough has been written already about the gesture but just wanted to wish the lad and Mike Gaynes good luck and a long life.
Matthew Williams
67 Posted 13/09/2016 at 12:52:16
We may not have many trophies yet, but we got plenty of class to spare...

Very proud to be born a Blue, great night all round.

Peter Mills
68 Posted 13/09/2016 at 13:08:59
I would like to echo the goodwill and best wishes expressed to young Bradley, and to Mike G.
Paul Setter
69 Posted 13/09/2016 at 13:24:09
Our great club oozes class... Absolutely beautiful brilliant gesture and I hope it goes a long way to helping him finally rid of the horrible disease.
Nathan Rooney
70 Posted 13/09/2016 at 13:46:02
Different gravy from the Blues, but this just sums up Everton for me.

Tremendous support from all the blues in the ground also, you brought a tear to my eye.

Kudos to Bill, although I can (and often do) criticise his footballing acumen, you cannot question his humanity and genuinely caring nature.

On reflection, I feel ashamed of myself for some of the vitriol I have directed at him, and vow to stop some of the offensive names etc. I have used in the past. I am sure to be wound up in the future by the man, but I make the promise to do my best to keep things in perspective and my comments civil.

This poor kids story makes you think about everything really, and for me it’s apt that the most stupid & ridiculous comment in relation to football and life/death is attributed to the chief gobshite from across the park, also sadly named Bill. Gimme our Bill anyday!

Best wishes Bradley and his family, keep on fighting son.

Also, all the best Mike G, keep on keepin on brother, thoughts are with you and your family.

Neil Wood
71 Posted 13/09/2016 at 13:57:03
World class. Proud... Very proud.
Ray Roche
72 Posted 13/09/2016 at 14:01:27
I played golf with a RS last Saturday, despite it he was a good lad of about late 30s early 40s. He was very disillusioned with football and the RS in particular.

"We have fans, you have customers" I said.

"How very true,when we (the RS) are selling... SELLING... the old main stand seats and not for charity."

And then our club do this... the gulf could not be wider.

Les Martin
73 Posted 13/09/2016 at 14:11:36
Good luck to Bradley and wishing him and his family all the best.

Everton – well, it's just what makes us!

Keith Harrison
74 Posted 13/09/2016 at 14:32:59
The Echo report Bradley has now reached his target. Wonder if our gesture prompted others to do likewise.

Very proud to be a Blue today, in more ways than one.

Bill Gall
75 Posted 13/09/2016 at 14:39:46
Another example of what kind of club Everton FC are, and what makes us as supporters proud to associated with this club . I wish Bradley and his family success in his treatment.

The only negativity in this situation is that patients like Bradley have to travel abroad for treatments that elevate the costs, and put their families through additional pressures to raise funds.

Ernie Baywood
76 Posted 13/09/2016 at 14:40:50
I don't know about points scoring between the clubs, the important thing is the donation and the publicity it gained for the boy, the cause, the fact that it could cost a family this much to save their child's life.

Seen lots of people suggesting options for organisations that should have just paid it. Well it should be available at zero or reasonable cost, and someone just paying it isn't the answer. Where would you stop?

The Premier League suddenly funds the NHS? This way a little boy got help he very much needed, and the bigger picture is that an important matter got some major coverage.

David Booth
77 Posted 13/09/2016 at 14:46:52
I couldn't give a damn about the eternal school playground debate in the media about who the biggest club is – all I know is, we are the BEST!

Fabulous gesture by Everton that sets us apart from every other so-called Premier League club and their obscene dream to re-invent themselves as a 'brand'.

Proud to be an Evertonian.

Koeman, you blues!


Joe Foster
78 Posted 13/09/2016 at 15:30:38
It makes you proud.
Dean Adams
79 Posted 13/09/2016 at 15:30:54
Such a great gesture from the best club in the world. This transcends only winning trophies. A massive victory for humanity. Thank you EFC. You make me proud to support you.
Derek Williams
80 Posted 13/09/2016 at 16:20:42
Fantastic. I'm not ashamed to say this brought a tear to my eyes. Whoever arranged this, Bill and/or Mosh presumably, mucho kudos to you both.

Fingers crossed for the little Mackem.

Allan Hounsgaard
81 Posted 13/09/2016 at 16:34:48
I'm proud of my club. On a similar note, I think people should search the net to find a certain clip from the Feyenoord game this weekend.

What the away fans did, brought a tear to my eye much like EFC's donation. Just love the scale of compassion Look it up!!!

Lee Whitehead
82 Posted 13/09/2016 at 17:26:14
What a fantastic gesture by our fabulous club!!

I have first hand experience of "Nuroblastoma" – I lost my beautiful little boy "Alex Lee" when he was 4 years old and this disease is about as bad as it gets, very very aggressive type cancer of the nervous system.

I hope and pray it goes well for the little chap, but he has a very testing and painful journey ahead of him.

Saying a prayer for him and his family.

Good Luck.

Alex Parr
83 Posted 13/09/2016 at 17:28:25
Well done, Everton, and well done, Bill (whether it be authorising the money coming from EFC accounts, or coming from your own personal money and putting it out in the name of our fantastic club).

Good luck, Bradley and Mike (and everyone who may be facing their own fight).

Jim Hardin
84 Posted 13/09/2016 at 17:33:49
Amazing stories about Everton. Best wishes to the family and the youngster.

Mike Gaynes,

I am sorry that you are experiencing your own fight against cancer. Best wishes to you in beating such a terrible disease. I look forward to enjoying reading your posts on here for years to come.

Stephen Ashton
86 Posted 13/09/2016 at 17:50:41
Firstly best wishes to little Bradley and Mike for speedy recoveries, praying for both you guys and looking forward to seeing Bradley at Goodison next year.

I am going to New York next week to spend time with a friend who has also had to seek treatment outside the UK. He has terminal prostate cancer and secondary liver cancer. The treatment he is having is cutting edge and is basically his last hope (medically speaking). His is not costing quite as much as Bradley's only $600,000; he is fortunate in that his employers are prepared to pay.

He tried to have the treatment in the UK but his doctors were unable to have the treatment sanctioned as it is by-and-large untested on humans although all the equipment and expertise exists in the UK. It would be uncaring in the extreme if the powers that be in this country were taking the same line with Bradley and insisting that a 5-year-old lad be put through the same ordeal.

David Nicholls
87 Posted 13/09/2016 at 18:02:13
Good Luck Mike G

I always look out for your posts. I remember your post predicting Yakubu would never be the same again after doing his achilles.

You were spot on and and I remember thinking this American chap knows his stuff.

Mark Morrissey
88 Posted 13/09/2016 at 18:29:27
I'm made up for the family. Proud of what the club has done. All day long people have been coming up to me at work and telling me how great a gesture it is and they think Everton are a great club. Makes me proud to be a blue.
David Johnston
89 Posted 13/09/2016 at 19:34:16
What a fantastic gesture by Everton FC in donating £200k to the cancer charity fund last night. Total respect, from a Newcastle fan.
Mike Gaynes
90 Posted 13/09/2016 at 19:45:24
Joe, Dave, Brent, Ant, Peter, Nathan, Jim, Stephen and David... and any I might have overlooked... many thanks for your wishes and support. I'm happy to say that I'm doing great, even playing a bit of footy again, and hoping to make my long-postponed dream trip to Goodison this spring. (David, I remember our Yakubu conversation too!)

I can't applaud enough the action that Everton has taken for little Bradley and the way the fans and TWers have joined in. If you ever want to be truly inspired by courage, visit a children's cancer ward to see what Bradley will be experiencing. You won't believe how brave these kids are in the face of truly intolerable pain and nausea that in some cases they are too young to really understand.

I'm very lucky in that my treatments are actually quite comfortable. Tell you what, I'm a pretty tough old bird, but there's no way I'd have the courage to handle what these kids must deal with. That they can well, it just amazes me.

Marcus Leigh
91 Posted 13/09/2016 at 20:00:13
In a sport where money has become almost meaningless and wages earned can be truly obscene, this is still a truly wonderful gesture by our club. As ever, I'm proud to be a blue.

David Johnston (#89) – Fantastic response too. Well said, mate.

Joe McMahon
92 Posted 13/09/2016 at 20:05:28
Brilliant – superb, lets hope Bradley takes a turn for the better!
Pete Ellingham
93 Posted 13/09/2016 at 20:57:41
Fantastic gesture from Everton FC! Class club!
Brian Wilkinson
94 Posted 13/09/2016 at 21:02:55
Bill has his knockers, but this is not the first time he has shown class. On a couple of occasions, he dug into his pocket and arranged free coach travel to Everton away games for travelling fans.

Heartbreaking seeing young Bradley held in his Dad's arms on the 5th minute, and the whole of the stadium joined as one willing them on.

Brought a tear to my eye, and is now just typing this.

Good luck Bradley on your treatment.

Eddie Dunn
95 Posted 13/09/2016 at 21:04:01
Well, I am delighted that this poor boy has hopefully raised enough money for his treatment. However, I find the reaction on here somewhat over the top. he cynic in me thinks that this could be a way of deflecting any ill-feeling away from the club due to the deadline-day disappointment.

Everton is now all over social media as a result of this gesture. While I wish the kid well, I think that our own health service should be healing him and he shouldn't be dependent on charity.

There are many kids like him, I know one myself and I know parents going through hell at the moment, but the tragedy in these cases is that these kids are in this situation.

Considering the obscene levels of money floating around the Premier League, £200,000 is a pittance for such good publicity.

Should all of our kids now hope for football clubs to help them? Or should we live in a society that looks after them?

Terence Beresford
96 Posted 13/09/2016 at 21:09:11
Peter (#62),

There is also free football coaching before home games. On the same road, although born in Liverpool, my 5-year-old grandson lives in Bristol. My son picks him up every 2 weeks and we have him home for the weekend. We took him to his first game against Yeovil and he loved it.

The free coaching is supplied by Everton. Cynics would argue it's to snare the youngsters for their support. Wrong. He would have been a blue anyway. 4th generation. Proud to be a blue.

Alan Humphreys
97 Posted 13/09/2016 at 21:19:48
Hard to argue with any of that, Eddie. Think Mike covers the cost of treatment and reasons why.

See a WHU lady followed suit about her boy on Twitter – I wish them luck too and would hope that Bradley's family pass on any excess to other families going through the same hell.

A day's wage from Premier League footballer would go a long way but I agree that it shouldn't be that way. £300,000 a week is as outrageous as £700,000 to save a young boy's life.

Patrick Murphy
98 Posted 13/09/2016 at 21:23:22
Eddie (#95),

If for one moment I thought that anybody at the club had used a sick child as a publicity stunt, I would be appalled... and to suggest it is a little bit appalling too.

I agree with you that the need to send anybody overseas to get the treatment they require is not very good, but that's the system we live by and most people seem to believe it is the best one for the majority of people.

Life is full of unpleasant comparisons and perhaps we should all take a look at ourselves when trying to get things cheaper than they should be or we demand that the tax take should be less than it is, as that usually adversely affects somebody somewhere and there but for the grace of god go all of us.

Eugene Kearney
99 Posted 13/09/2016 at 21:27:43
Brilliant. I am proud to be a Toffee.

Excellent gesture.

Gary Reeves
100 Posted 13/09/2016 at 21:31:36
Eddie (#95),

I really can't believe you've managed to squeeze the phrase "deadline day disappointment" into a post on this thread. Dear, dear me... where to even start?

Thomas Lennon
101 Posted 13/09/2016 at 21:34:41
The media make it sound like these treatments overseas are miracle cures. They are not, they are experimental and unproven. They can be trials but in the case where hundreds of $$$ are needed it seems to be more likely that this is a 'one off'. There are no guarantees.

NHS will not fund until a drug is proven to be better than what already exists. That has to be proven over several years of trials – not a 'one-off'.

We are entering an era when drugs are made specifically for a single person which as you can imagine is a whole lot more expensive than filling bottles with tables. Costs are high so even more assurance is demanded by those spending taxpayers' money.

Good luck to those who are successful in raising funds and all credit to those who care enough to donate.

Raymond Fox
102 Posted 13/09/2016 at 21:40:10
It brings a tear to the eyes I have to say.

A wonderful jesture by the club, because £200,000 is a sizeable amount in anybody's book.

Ernie Baywood
103 Posted 13/09/2016 at 22:05:19
Eddie #95 I largely agree, though probably wouldn't have put it in quite those terms.

I disagree, though, that it's a response to deadline day. We would have a budget for donations as part of our Corporate Social Responsibility. The club does plenty of good things, donates to plenty of good causes. Is part of the intention of that program to portray a positive image? Absolutely!

But is that a bad thing? We can't solve every problem but we can choose to support causes that we think are worthwhile. This donation shows what we stand for and achieves far more than individual donations can. It subsidises treatment but, far more importantly, it generates publicity. That publicity reflects well on the club but also sparks awareness of individual cases and publicises the failings of the system.

And regardless of what people think the club could afford, £200k is a huge amount of money. It's a big donation by any standards.

The club deserves all the praise it gets, the lad deserves a chance at life, and the current system that allows a young boy's life to pass unless his family have £700k deserves all the criticism it can get. All three are happening now thanks to Everton FC.

Eddie Dunn
104 Posted 13/09/2016 at 22:53:42
Ernie, this is a difficult topic, and I may be totally wrong and could, perhaps have worded it more carefully.

My main point stands though. It may not be a response to deadline day, but it has achieved positive publicity for the club. Therefore this will have been discussed by certain people and a decision will have been made to donate to this cause, as opposed to others.

Also, if this kid's fate was so important, then why wait till we are playing them to give the money? I do not know when the money has/will be paid, but any chance to speed up the treatment is surely beneficial.

Therefore I am impressed by whoever did this, but a little cynical as to the reasons.

Steve Smith
105 Posted 13/09/2016 at 00:19:17
Eddie (#104), I have to say that is a very cynical view of why this donation came about, to suggest that a discussion to donate was based on maximizing good publicity for the club rather than what was probably a spur-of-the-moment gesture on the night, is pretty mean spirited I think.

I'd never heard of this young lad before last night and I'm guessing neither did our clubs hierarchy until they met him and his parents at last nights game.

If a conversation had taken place as you suggest, I don't think a donation of that size would have been made, the truth is they could have made a donation of £50k, received exactly the same publicity and raised awareness of this young mans plight for a quarter of the actual outlay.

Apart from the initial announcement, the club has declined to comment further, probably being aware of accusations such as yours being leveled at them if they do.

The brilliant part to this story is, Everton FC can rightly take credit for not only making the donation, but also generating the publicity and awareness so that other people from all over the world have made donations today to help reach and surpass his £700k target.

Of course, the reasons why families all over the UK are trying daily to raise funds for friends and relatives to seek life saving treatment abroad is another debate, usually for smarmy bastard career politicians on Question Time, who couldn't give a flying fuck about the health and welfare of the people as long as they're getting their expenses, salaries and private healthcare.

Ian Hams
106 Posted 14/09/2016 at 01:11:01
A great gesture from the club, and Allan (#81), I looked up the match at Feyenoord where the ADO Den Hag fans showered a group from the local children's hospital with love. Look it up, folks, it's heart warming.
Mike Gaynes
107 Posted 14/09/2016 at 01:35:00
Eddie, there's always that one kid in the audience who didn't clap to bring Tinkerbell back to life.

I hope the cynic in you gets a little more sentimental as time goes by. A bit of schmaltz is a good thing.

Ernie Baywood
108 Posted 14/09/2016 at 01:45:48
I guess my point is that this isn't a one off, it's part of a program; a budget. Everton as a club have decided to make charitable donations. There will be many reasons for this and some will be along the lines you state... good publicity, good community relations.

But it's still a good thing. And this donation is just part of that – it stands alone as a choice on how to distribute that money. The club thought it worthwhile.

I donated to a mate's charity marathon run recently and allowed my donation to be shown on his 'wall'. I suppose I was showing what I believe in and hoping to encourage others. Maybe I was trying to publicise that I'm a good guy.

I don't think that some self-interested motives negate some applaudable motives and a hugely beneficial outcome.

To be honest, it's a tragedy that we need charity at all but I might be getting a bit commy.

Darren Hind
109 Posted 14/09/2016 at 02:56:28
I've been bursting with pride since I heard about this.

Mike Gaynes,

Dignified, informative, Humble.

I wish you well.

Derek Thomas
110 Posted 14/09/2016 at 03:04:19
Did the opposition at Sunderland's last home game donate?...will their next opponents donate, who knows, doesn't matter.

WE DID...for whatever reason, the right thing got done. I reckon that the right thing done, for whatever reason, by mistake, as a previously budgeted tax write off, for publicity... is still the right thing to do, end result the kid will get the treatment, all's well that ends well (hopefully).

Having heard some of the horror stories with regards to the RS and donations a little Karma in the Celestial bank will do us no harm at all.

You never know, it might encourage others.

Mike Gaynes
111 Posted 14/09/2016 at 04:41:24
That is very generous, Darren. Means a great deal coming from you. Many thanks.
Jamie Crowley
112 Posted 14/09/2016 at 05:10:05
Mike Gaynes -

I am a self absorbed prick of a human being.

I will not tolerate American TW contributors being ill, sick, et al.

There are too few of us born in this great country on TW, and as TW is my reading pleasure, and I love reading fellow American's comments...

I insist you be of good health fine sir!

It's all about me Mike! Don't ruin my TW "read the fellow countyman's comments" evening ritual! What the fuck else am I to do with my time?

;0)

Seriously Mike I enjoy your posts - be well please.

And my God what a fantastic gesture by Everton.

Paul Ferry
113 Posted 14/09/2016 at 05:50:06
Mike Gaynes – get better soon, mate. We had differences once, but I have nothing but utmost respect for you and you will beat this cancer – can we call it Henderson please, or quite simply red shite like Harold Pinter called his Murdoch.

Bradley is heartbreaking and reaffirming. That 5-minute gesture brings tears to eyes with him deeply wrapped around his dad.

The money is now all in. Like Mike, Bradley will be in the care of US doctors. Let's hope that Bradley under their care too has a long, long life like Mike in his enviable California coastal town.

Paul Kelly
114 Posted 14/09/2016 at 07:09:30
Top club, quality.

Best of luck, Bradley, and to you too Mr Gaynes.

Wish you nothing but the best.

Eddie Dunn
115 Posted 14/09/2016 at 07:22:10
Mike Gaynes, regardless of my cynicism, my very best wishes go to you in your battle for health. I too hope to read your comments on here for many years to come.
Mike Gaynes
116 Posted 14/09/2016 at 07:37:23
My dear Mr. Crowley...

Please forgive me for distressing you, fine sir. As one of the senior Yanks on TW (when I first signed in a decade ago, I was one of a handful at most), I am keenly aware of my responsibility to continue manning the Colonial battlements and firing off red-glaring rockets at regular intervals.

Fear not, I'm standing strong and expect to continue delivering my off-target Star-and-Striped opinions here for a long time to come.

Thanks for the good wishes... and thanks to you also Mr. Kelly.

Paul Kelly
117 Posted 14/09/2016 at 07:41:00
Anytime mate, and good chat between you and your fellow country man, funny.
Tony Abrahams
118 Posted 14/09/2016 at 08:25:15
Mike, I wish you well, and hope you score "A Trick" in your next game of togger mate!
Paul Smith
119 Posted 14/09/2016 at 11:11:22
On my holidays in Spain and it brings a lump to my throat, what a gesture, what a club. BTW, I see Moshri has been texting Jim White again 👍
Stan Schofield
120 Posted 14/09/2016 at 12:23:05
Eddie @95: I think you have a point. Yes, our society should be fairer, and treatment of children shouldn't require charity. There are massive amounts of money in football, but even if loads of it were channeled to health services it probably wouldn't make a major impact, because there are bigger root causes of the kind of problem you've mentioned. Mismanagement, corruption, profiteering, you name it, exist, they shouldn't, but they do, and most of us have little or no direct control over it.

The direct control we do have is to be kind and compassionate. I believe that Everton were compassionate in giving the money towards Bradley's treatment. But as I say, I understand where you're coming from. I just don't think you need be cynical on this occasion.

Gerry Quinn
121 Posted 14/09/2016 at 13:42:15
Mike, wish you well in your own quest for full health. As a fellow Yank (except when it comes to the Ryder Cup!), fully understand your commitment to your battles ahead.

Absolutely fabulous commitment by Everton (BK obviously by the sounds of it) – bought me to tears along with that tightness you get in the throat... hope the wee man wins his fight – he's a smashing little lad and his Mum did say that just the short walk and handshakes with the Everton team took its toll on him. Brave, brave lad.

Proud to be a blue.

Gerry Quinn
122 Posted 14/09/2016 at 13:43:20
As a 16-year "Yank" from Crosby, L23, that is...
Thomas Lennon
123 Posted 14/09/2016 at 14:29:02
The UK NHS have been running an advanced trial for this type of cancer for some time:

http://scienceblog.cancerresearchuk.org/2013/08/13/a-groundbreaking-clinical-trial-for-children-with-aggressive-neuroblastoma/

UK NHS is investing a lot of time and money into this, helping the maximum number of patients it can afford in collaboration with CRCUK. The drug company involved are also helping fund this trial - quite possibly to the tune of many hundreds of millions ££.

This trial is currently ongoing. It includes antibody treatment but that is the second phase of the trial so may not be happening yet.

Why little Bradley is going to the US for treatment is not for us to speculate on – there will be very good reasons such as him being amongst the few who are not responding well to current treatment or time may be short. For him the donations are potentially life saving so all the more credit to all those who have helped.

But to doubt the commitment of the NHS to helping children with this kind of cancer is wrong. The NHS is doing more than its bit to develop treatment for these children and if proven will pay for it in full – no more charity required. We are amongst the best in the world. Cure rates are already up to 68%.

However then there will be another child with a different cancer and the demand on the NHS goes on and on until they are all eradicated.

Mike Gaynes
124 Posted 14/09/2016 at 17:45:34
Gerry, thanks... I know you had your own "challenge" not too long ago... hope all is well with you.
Dave Williams
125 Posted 14/09/2016 at 17:54:39
Lee # 82 my heart goes out to you- I can't imagine how parents cope with that.

Mike- I can only echo what everyone else says on this thread- keep at it and beat this dreadful disease- we're all with you.

Eddie- hopefully you have had the opportunity to reconsider your cynical post. I know BK personally and he is a compassionate man who would not dream of doing this for the publicity- just accept that such gestures can be done with no ulterior motive- anyone who watched the game would have been deeply touched by the pictures of this lad and the way the crowd responded.

Our great club does this type of thing better than any other and we should ALL be very proud.

James Hughes
126 Posted 14/09/2016 at 18:05:31
Wonderful gesture and in keeping with what EitC are trying to achieve. My baby sister (aged 41, she won't thank me for that) moves in those circles. Everton are very proactive in most areas of social engagement and care so we can all be proud of that.

Mike Gaynes, I wish you all the best and "Live long and prosper".

Mike Gaynes
127 Posted 14/09/2016 at 18:38:56
Thank you guys... but way, way too much attention on me. This kid's battle is 20 times tougher than mine. Lee Whitehead #82, you've lived it, and lost it, and I can't even comprehend what you and your family have been through. My heart breaks for you and your unimaginable loss, and I can only hope that you have found just a bit of peace.

Cancer really is a hellish thing. My closest "bro" is in surgery at this moment, and I'm waiting to hear.

Someday, maybe, they'll find a way to stop this monster. In the meantime. all we can do is reach out and share and help as best we can. Everton is a great example of that. So is this board.

Gerry Quinn
129 Posted 14/09/2016 at 22:45:47
Mike, my challenges were bugger all – best health news though is that both Cathie and I stopped smoking 4 months ago – just stopped together, not even an e-ciggie or a patch.

Now I have to hide behind the couch all the time, no disappearing away from the live match for a tab... :)

And the silliest thing is that I have had a raspy cough for 2 months now – doctor said it was the cilia or hairs growing back in my lungs – to which I replied "If those hairs are growing, we need to transplant my lungs up to my brain then!"

Lee Whitehead
130 Posted 15/09/2016 at 08:33:28
Thanks Mike (#127) & Dave (#125) for your thoughts!!

Mike Gaynes
131 Posted 16/11/2016 at 17:12:31
Paul Ferry, forgive me for having overlooked your post that day. Many thanks for your kind thoughts.

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