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Charity Football Match In Seamer To Tackle Motor Neurone Disease

A charity football match will take place in Seamer this Sunday to raise vital funds for Motor Neurone Disease, following the devastating impact of the illness on local families.

A charity football match will kick off in Seamer this Sunday to raise crucial funds to tackle Motor Neurone Disease.

The sporting event has been organised following the profound impact the condition has had on local families, with all funds going towards supporting those affected by the devastating illness.

Local resident Jack Laing is helping to spearhead the fundraising efforts after his father was recently diagnosed with the disease.

The heartbreaking diagnosis came at a time when the family was preparing to enjoy a new chapter in their lives, abruptly halting their long-term retirement plans and causing significant physical challenges over a very short period.

Jack Laing said:

"Yeah, 61, my dad's so. So, yeah, he's not particularly old. The week prior, my mom had just retired. So, they had some big plans, obviously with reaching retirement, and they had holidays to Alaska booked, and things like that, and they've all had to be cancelled due to my dad's ill health really. It's within the space of a 6-month period, now is slurring. He's struggling to speak, struggling to swallow, struggling to to walk and move, can't hold things with his hands and use his arms. And then, yeah, so he's extremely painful for the the whole family really. and it's just trying to support him as as well as we can and make him as comfortable as we can."

The fundraising initiative extends far beyond Jack's immediate family, expanding to honour another local resident, Paul Hunter, who tragically lost his life to the exact same condition.

Friends of both families have resolved to join forces, turning the weekend's football match into a collaborative and emotional effort that will continue well into the autumn.

Two of Jack's friends will be participating in the football match before taking on an even bigger physical endurance challenge later in the year to support the MND Association.

Jack added:

"Two of my friends have also volunteered to run the York marathon as well. For the MND Association, and so that's in October and so I just wanted to say a huge thank you to Tom and Joe. Tom's, his father in law unfortunately passed away at Christmas, Paul Hunter, and so he passed away from motor neuron disease. Again, very close to home really, so it's like a joint fundraiser as well. Fair play to the lads for volunteering to run a marathon, I don't think I could do that, definitely couldn't. So that's also, there's a bit of information about that on the just giving page, it's like a joint sort of fundraiser. They are also playing in the football match as well. So yeah, there is it does carry on actually after the after the charity football match into October."

Donations and further information regarding the ongoing endurance challenges can be found on their dedicated JustGiving page, as the local community continues to rally together to support the families affected by Motor Neurone Disease.

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