More than £11,000 has been raised in memory of St Mirren legend Frank McGarvey in an emotional but fun event celebrating what would have been his 67th birthday.
Buddies hero McGarvey died of pancreatic cancer on January 1.
And on March 17, an incredible £11,050 was raised for Pancreatic Cancer Action as part of a charity auction and celebration at Elders Bar in Glasgow.
The event brought together Frank’s friends and family to celebrate his life while raising awareness of a charity that aims to improve survival rates of those diagnosed with the deadly disease.
It was organised by his close friend Bernie Vallely who runs ‘Fitba Greats’ in partnership with Robert and Mary from Elders Bar in Tollcross in the east end of the city.
The event included an auction and raffle with a host of football memorabilia up for grabs including a framed Lisbon Lions print signed by eight of the team which won the 1967 European Cup for Celtic and a 1985 Scottish Cup final shirt signed by Frank, the scorer of the winning goal that day for the Hoops.
Bernie said: “This was a real team effort and we are all hopeful that raising the funds we did will massively help Pancreatic Cancer Action.
“I’m glad we could celebrate Frank’s 67th birthday in such a positive way. Everyone played their part and a great night was had.”
Hosted by Tommy Sheridan, more than 90 people attended the sold-out event including friends, former Celtic players Tosh McKinlay and Joe Miller, and Frank’s family.
His daughter Jennifer Kane said: “I was so flat on St Patrick’s Day with it being my dad’s birthday and have been missing him so much, but I got such a lift from people’s generosity and stories.
“My dad was so lucky to have pals like Bernie, Robert and Tommy and everyone coming together to raise that much money for a charity now so close to my heart is unbelievable.
“I know my dad will want us to continue to raise awareness for pancreatic cancer, it was an amazing night, my dad would have loved it. I can’t wait for next year’s.”
The auction was the main driver of achieving such a fantastic total – with exclusive prizes creating a bidding battle across the packed room.
Fiona Brown, Scottish development manager for Pancreatic Cancer Action, said she was grateful to everyone who took part.
She said: “I was privileged to meet Frank and his family last year, and it has been heartwarming to see the incredible outpouring of support from across the football community.
“It was lovely to hear people share memories of Frank at the event, and a wonderful video played on the night showcasing some of Frank’s many footballing highlights certainly triggered a few tears!
“We are very grateful to everyone involved in making the event such a huge success, raising a phenomenal amount of money, and indeed helping raise awareness of pancreatic cancer.”
Pancreatic cancer is the fifth most common cause of cancer death in the UK, with over 10,000 people diagnosed each year.
Early diagnosis is crucial for improving survival rates yet under eight per cent of those diagnosed will survive for five years or more.
Pancreatic Cancer Action is dedicated to raising awareness of the disease and funding research into early detection and treatment. To find out more about their work, visit their website at https://pancreaticcanceraction.org/
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