Glentoran Legends show support to one of their own


If you are not doing anything on Sunday 21st March, you could do a lot of good for a very worthy cause by going along to the Ulidia Playing Fields on the Ormeau Road for a special charity game in aid of the Northern Ireland Cancer Fund for Children.
The game will take place at 12 o’clock and will see the Glentoran Legends face a team made up of the Rosario Y.C. 1995 Under 11 side. Now before you scratch your head about the Legends opponents, all will be revealed.

On March 20th 2009, a young lad was born, Ryan Cleary. All seemed well until May 2009 when young
Ryan was diagnosed with Infantile Fibro Sarcoma, which is a type of cancer. Ryan was subsequently
treated in the Royal Victoria Hospital for Sick Children in the Haematology ward over the next six months.
Young Ryan, has also endured a course of chemotherapy which has recently finished and currently Ryan
and his family are waiting for an update on the tumour which, although still there, has reduced in size.

Ryan’s father, Jonathan Cleary takes up the story, “Ryan is a bubbly wee lad but has already came
through so much in his short life. The whole family are thankful to the wonderful support that has been
given, firstly by all at the Royal but also the NICFC, who give tremendous support to the children and their families. I really don’t know how we would have coped without them.”

If you have not already guessed by now, Ryan is the grandson of Glentoran Legend, Jim Cleary and in support
of the NICFC, Jim, along with Jonathan has arranged a special game that will take place on 21st March, a day
after young Ryan’s 1st birthday. Jonathan has been a long time member of Rosario Youth Club and hence the
reason why the Rosario team to face the Legends will be made up from the team that Jonathan first started
playing for, the 1995 Under 11 side.
“ Both Jonny and I wanted to do something to help repay our families gratitude for all the help that many
people have given to Ryan in the last year. I am delighted that the Glentoran Legends have agreed to turn out
in this special game where I hope we can raise quite a few pounds for the NICFC” said Jim.
“I would also like to thank Glentoran, who have kindly agreed to a few of us from the Legends side holding a bucket collection at a home game prior to the game in March. Again, I am sure that the Glenmen will help us raise a lot of money for this worthy cause.”
I really feel that Glentoran fans will dig deep to support this great cause. It certainly puts football into perspective and it goes without saying that the thoughts and prayers of ALL at Glentoran go out to young Ryan and all the Cleary family.

The Northern Ireland Cancer Fund for Children is a registered charity, which offers practical, emotional and financial support to children and young people up to and including the age of 21, who are living with cancer, and their families.

Two children are diagnosed with cancer every week in Northern Ireland, leaving two more families to cope with a level of devastation that is almost impossible for most of us to comprehend.

Based at Curlew Pavilion within Belfast Harbour Estate, and with a satellite office in the North West, they are able to extend their services to every part of Northern Ireland.

                              For more information on the Northern Ireland Cancer Fund for Children, please log on to nicfc.com