SOUTHPORT TO SKEGNESS

  

I’ve always been football mad and so when my middle daughter, Lucy, showed some promise, we soon found ourselves at Lincoln Griffins Ladies Football club and within a year I found myself coaching one of the teams. Griffins is a fantastic club and it’s been great fun for us both.

By the summer of 2008, I was coaching the Griffins under-11 ‘Lionesses’ team and on the look-out for a couple of new players. I became aware of a girl called Alice Rice who was Player of the Year for a local boys U11 team. As girls cannot play boys football beyond the U12 age group, she was looking for a girls team and so her coming to join us was a great match. Alice is a tremendous footballer who plays without fear and with great character, this soon rubbed off on the team and helped transform our fortunes so that we were soon challenging at the top of the local girls league.

Late in 2008 Alice started to suffer from back pains, which ultimately prevented her playing and training. Despite this, there was no clear diagnosis of the condition. The problem worsened as summer approached when Alice started to lose weight. One Sunday evening in June, Alice began to have trouble walking and she was rushed to hospital for checks.

It was a great shock when the hospital discovered a melon-sized tumour on one of Alice’s ribs pushing into her internal organs (explaining the back pains) and into her spine resulting in partial paralysis and her difficulty in walking. An immediate operation to remove parts of the tumour to release pressure on her spine revealed the tumour to be an Ewings/Atkins Sarcoma (a type of bone cancer). The cancer was also found to have spread into her lungs.

Within days, Alice began an intensive course of chemotherapy which has resulted in dramatic weight loss and her initially being confined to a wheelchair.

Alice and her family have responded to all of these setbacks with incredible resolve and fight. The treatment has been physically and mentally hard on Alice and her family. Alice’s attitude, in particular, is an inspiration.

The family have been supported throughout the hardest times by a number if children’s cancer charities which were quick to respond. In particular by MattDotCom - a local charity which provides laptops etc to teens in situations like this. This equipment has enabled Alice to keep in touch with friends, schoolwork and to keep her mind active and occupied. This has been key to keeping her spirits up during this difficult time.

In support of this charity. I am carrying out a 185 miles sponsored cross-country cycle ride from Southport to Skegness.

 

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