A proud dad will watch his son walk out as Luton Town FC’s mascot today, knowing it could be the last match they watch together.
Cancer sufferer Mat Westwood, 35, has been given just six months to live.
But he is determined to make the most of every minute he has left with his wife Liz, 33, and their boys Alfie, 13, and three-year-old Jack.
After arranging for Alfie to be mascot at his beloved Luton’s game against Birmingham City, Mat and his son were invited to training at the club yesterday.
He told how he and Alfie had an “amazing morning” meeting players such as Henri Lansbury, Tom Lockyer and Harry Cornick.
They also got to hang out with manager Nathan Jones, and club legend Mick Harford, who is now Luton’s recruitment officer.
Mat said: “Everyone was incredibly friendly. Mick stood and chatted with us the whole time. Alfie got a new shirt and got it signed by everyone – and we even got to have lunch with the players. I can’t thank the club enough.”
Mat was diagnosed with a malignant melanoma on his leg five years ago and received his terminal diagnosis two weeks ago, after the cancer spread to his lungs, brain and liver.
He said: “It hit us pretty hard but after coming to terms with it – if you ever come to terms with it – we thought, ‘Right, OK, let’s plan for this. Let’s enjoy the time we have left as a family’.
“I am not going to mope about because of it – I am determined to enjoy the time I have left.
“Everyone keeps saying they can’t believe how upbeat I am, but I am not going to sit around crying because that will waste all the time I have.”
Earlier this week, when he was “bored” in hospital, Mat tweeted about today’s game. He wrote: “I can’t wait for the @LutonTown game on Saturday. Mixed emotions tho, my son will be mascot. Amazing!! Tho due to cancer giving me 6 months left, it will be the last game I manage to get to. Make it a good one lads!!”
The tweet got thousands of likes and Mat has since had messages of support sent from well-wishers worldwide.
Mat, a retail worker from Kettering, Northants, said: “It was crazy. I only had about 30 followers and I came back to my phone and had thousands of likes.
“I have had such lovely and positive responses from so many kind people.
“It shows, for once, the better side of social media.”
Mat hopes his supporters will now get behind his sister Joanna’s ‘31 miles for Mat’ fundraiser on Facebook.
Mat said: “She is running a mile a day in August. Her employers have said they’ll match whatever she makes so it’d be great to see that get a boost.”
After the footballing fun this weekend, the Westwoods will be heading to Lincolnshire to enjoy a holiday by the sea.
Mat said: “We are off to Mablethorpe for a week then after that, me and the wife are off to Brighton because that was the first place we went together as a couple and it means a lot to us.
“It is all about making memories now with the family.”
You can donate to Mat’s sister's Cancer Research appeal here: https://www.facebook.com/donate/1271629353600590/
