Family and friends of a Co Down football coach are putting their best feet forward this New Year's Eve to support a cause very close to his heart.
Big G's Ground to Ground Charity Walk takes place this Saturday, December 31 and will see players and supporters from Newtownards Royal British Legion FC complete a 15 mile walk from Windsor Park to their home ground of Hamilton Park and it's all in aid of Macmillan Cancer Support.
It's a cause very personal to the club too, as their past player and current 1st Team Kitman, Glenn Johnson (Big G) has been helped along a difficult path over the past couple of years by MacMillan.
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Dad-of-three Glenn, 42 was diagnosed with bowel and liver cancer in 2020.
"Sadly, prior to my diagnosis, I was turned away twice from A&E, until I went for a third time and told them I wasn't leaving until I was referred.," he explained.
"Despite the wonderful support we have had since then, and continue to experience, I wish I had trusted my own body and mind the first time I went to hospital. Had I done so, the outcome may have been different.
"Always remember, it doesn't matter how old you are, cancer can get any one of us. I would urge people never to be told 'you are too young'. Sadly, I have met a number of patients throughout my journey who are younger than me."
Ahead of the New Year's Eve walk, the club launched a JustGiving fundraising campaign earlier this month, which has already raised over £2,500.
Chairman of Newtownards Rbl FC, David Shields said: "We are doing a 15 mile walk from the National Stadium in Belfast to our home ground at Hamilton Park to help raise money for Macmillan Cancer Support.
"This walk starts on Saturday December 31 at 10am and hopefully will conclude around 2/3pm. It's in support of our coach Big G who is currently being supported by MacMillan and wants to raise as much money for this wonderful charity as possible.
"We hope to have over 30 people taking part including several members of G's family joining the boys from the club. We will be walking with official charity buckets along the Albertbridge Road and Newtownards Road to Dundonald, then onto the Greenway to Comber and finally along the Comber Carriageway to home.
"We have already raised £2,500 of our £5,000 target but I'm hopeful that when we go live on our walk on Saturday that it will inspire others to help us end the year in a positive way by helping others."
Glenn says the support he has received from Macmillan from day one of his diagnosis has been amazing.
He added: "Even now, two years down this rollercoaster ride, they continue to support me and my family. We will never be able to thank them enough, but I hope that raising money, so that they can continue to be amazing, will go some way to show my appreciation.
"I would like to thank you all in advance for your support and generosity. My hope is that together, we can help those families who will find themselves in the same position as I did just before Christmas two years ago.
"It's a lonely and heartbreaking situation to find yourself in, but the support shown by Macmillan really does make a difference."
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