Gifted teen Andrew, who lost leukaemia battle, remembered in charity football tournament

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A CHARITY football tournament has been organised in memory of a teenager who lost his battle with leukaemia.

Gifted academic and musician Andrew Cook, 19, of Swanland, died at Castle Hill Hospital in Cottingham in November last year.The teenager had a bone marrow transplant in January last year after a donor – an exact match – was found in Portugal.But then, in July, the teenager relapsed and never recovered.

Now, fundraising group Carry On For Cookie is holding the football competition tomorrow to urge people to join the bone marrow register.

James Wood, a friend of Andrew from the age of four, has helped organise the tournament. He said: "He was a great lad and his death was a huge loss."Myself and all his friends have wanted to do something in his honour for a long time."We decided to hold the football tournament to encourage people to sign up to the bone marrow register."Each person signed up is potentially a life saved."

Despite being diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia in May 2007, Andrew gained four grade As at AS-level.

Andrew, who attended South Hunsley School in Melton, even sat an exam in his hospital bed at Hull Royal Infirmary.

Before that, he achieved ten GCSEs.

Andrew was told he had leukaemia just two weeks after his mother Liz was diagnosed with breast cancer. She passed away on December 14, 2007.

The football tournament will be held at Blackburn Leisure Centre in Skillings Lane, Brough, from 11am to 3pm.

A total of 84 players have already agreed to take part, each pledging £5 to for charity.

James, 20, of North Ferriby, said: "It is testament to Andrew's character that so many have agreed to play."

Proceeds will be split between the Anthony Nolan Trust and Leukaemia Research.

Andrew's dad Gary, 55, said: "It is great to see so many people getting together to remember Andrew."

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Mark appeals to help him find a bone marrow donor.

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Big-hearted people have rallied to help a leukaemia sufferer find a potentially life-saving bone marrow donor.Forty people responded to Mark Sutcliffe's desperate appeal and attended a special session to join the bone marrow register.

Doctors have told the 41-year-old Beeford Primary School headteacher he may not survive without the transplant.

Father-of-two Mr Sutcliffe, of Burton Fleming, near Driffield, was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia in November 2009.

He is recovering from a third course of chemotherapy in Castle Hill Hospital, Cottingham, while his wife Justine stays at home with their young daughters.

Family friend Sue Kirven, of Burton Fleming, organised the session at Wold Newton Primary School in Wold Newton, near Driffield, on Wednesday.

She said: "My children and Mark and Justine's daughters go to the school and I just wanted to do something to help.

"I'm really pleased with the response to the appeal and there are now 40 new names on the donor register.

"Hopefully, a match will be found for Mark and other sufferers who need a life-saving transplant."

The session to collect saliva samples from potential donors was conducted by bone marrow charity The Anthony Nolan Trust, but more tests are needed before it is known if there was a successful match.

Charlotte Connolly, trust donor recruitment manager, said: "We are always short of donors and were delighted with the turnout."

Before the event, Mr Sutcliffe told the Mail: "It could make a real life-saving difference to me or someone else who is waiting.

"This is my only option to stay healthy. If I want to be able to walk my daughters down the aisle when they get married, I need to have a transplant."

Story sourced via the Hull and East Riding Mail. Click HERE to see their website.

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