Classy Crystal Palace make a touching gesture to the Hartlepool United boss’ wife who is battling for her life with a tumour.
The Eagles are set to take on the League Two outfit at Selhurst Park in the FA Cup on Saturday, with Lee’s wife Gemma, in attendance.
The Premier League outfit have donated to a fundraiser for Graeme Lee’s wife, who has an inoperable brain tumour, and are also urging their supporters to do so too.
Gemma, who is a 40 year old mother of two, was diagnosed with a rare grade four glioblastoma in January 2019 and given just 12 months to live.
Despite that diagnosis, she continues to fight the tumour with the aid of trial medication from Germany, which costs £5,000 a month.
A fundraiser was set up by her friend, Beth Badman, a couple of months ago to try and help the family’s financial burden.
This has since caught the attention of Crystal Palace, ahead of their tie with Hartlepool, and tweeted: “The club have donated to the fundraising appeal of @Official_HUFC manager Graeme Lee’s wife Gemma, who is looking to raise £60,000 to fund her next 12 months of treatment for a life-threatening brain tumour”.
The club also uploaded a link encouraging supporters to donate to the appeal. It said: “Supporters are encouraged to donate to the fundraising appeal of Hartlepool manager Graeme Lee’s wife Gemma, who is looking to raise £60,000 to fund her next 12 months of treatment for a life-threatening brain tumour.
Head here to donate: https://t.co/jPhioB5wpd 👇#CPFC
— Crystal Palace F.C. (@CPFC) February 4, 2022
“Gemma was given just 12 months to live in 2019 following a cancerous brain tumour diagnosis. However, following an exhaustive search for alternative treatments, the family found a trial drug from abroad, costing £5,000 a month.
“The club were made aware of Gemma’s condition, and are asking Palace fans to who’d like to help to donate what they can via the family’s Just Giving page”.
The donations page has since seen a huge rise in donations and messages of respect from Crystal Palace fans since the tweet went out.
Badman, who organised the appeal, issued a message on the appeal website thanking Palace for their support.
She said: “We can not express our gratitude and thanks enough to Crystal Palace for this tweet and their donation tonight, which has truly started the ball rolling.
“Thank you to everyone who has spared something to give to this cause, your generosity has not gone unnoticed. Tonight many people who love Gemma are emotional over the sheer support.
“If you’ve given thank you, if you’ve shared thank you, if you’ve retweeted thank you, you are all making a difference. Grateful for all of you wonderful people”.
Lee, who played for the likes of Sheffield Wednesday, Doncaster, Bradford City and Notts County during his playing days, said the efforts were “massively appreciated”.
“I know for my wife and my dad at the moment, anything anyone is willing to do and step up…
“I’ve had so many people since my wife (was diagnosed) step up, people who you don’t even know who come forward and help and want to help, and they don’t realise how much that helps families and people who are suffering, so anything like that, well played to them and fantastic.”
As of 12:30pm on Saturday, the appeal has raised just over £48,000. You can help fundraise for Gemma by clicking HERE.
Oh wow this is absolutely amazing . Football is a community this proves it. What a gesture it’s rare I’m rendered speechless. Thank you thank you thank you 💖👏🏼💖
— Gemma Lee (@Gmoo) February 4, 2022
Wow this is amazing, what a gesture, can’t thank you all enough ❤️⚽️💙
— Graeme Lee (@5spike) February 4, 2022
Twitter users reacted as classy Crystal Palace make the gesture to Hartlepool boss’ wife battling for her life…
@HC15OnTour: Just donated and hope that Gemma’s treatment goes well so that she can make a full recovery. Classy yet again from our club & all of our fans that have donated & got on board
@MartinCorner4: From the moment this draw was made Palace have been just been classy, from the free bus travel to this donation. Thanks for restoring faith that some clubs still focus on being a part of the community as opposed to corporations in the entertainment industry
@Jed_Die: Who cannot be moved by this. Football gets a bad Rep, but tonight we show the best side of the game.. Proud of this and hope you get the funds you need Gemma. Bloody brave and Strong woman
@BrattHolly: From a pools fan. What an outstanding club palace is. Thanks for everything use have done for our little club… Looking forward to visiting selhurst park tomorrow. What a day it’s going to be for both teams
@julianchenery: It’s quite wonderful to see so many Palace fans have been moved to add to this appeal.
@MickyLanchester: Crystal Palace. Absolute class. Since the draw was made @CPFC have made HUFC a priority at giving them the very best service and experience possible. Class act of a club.
@tom_ladbury: Sensational. This is a special cup tie.
@jimmy190178: Class again from Crystal Palace, on the back of paying for the Hartlepool supporters buses as well
@Yacker851: Palace are doing their best to have an entire town in the northeast adopt them as a second team
@Shakyshakes1980: Classy gesture from a club who have shown every other big club how it should be done since the draw was made. See you tomorrow – can’t wait.
@UtchStokie: What a club Crystal Palace are. On top of helping to pay for the Pools fans to travel down to the game, there is this… All clubs should aspire to do good work like this and not just for their own fans. It spreads goodwill to the club from near and far
@BhoysAnalytics: That’s the magic of football. Well done @CPFC
@hocks2631: The amount of palace fans who’ve donated here is just brilliant. Great club great fans
@pencreed: After a horrific few weeks in this country’s political history, this really has helped restore my faith in humanity. An hour ago, this fund was at £13k, now the amount has doubled. Mostly down to an opposing team’s supporters on the eve of an @TheFACupgame. #southlondonandproud
Think this says it all, both unreal clubs with class fans. pic.twitter.com/PtvRI3scv9
— 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐨𝐭𝐭𝐞❤️🔥 (@CJJ1995_) February 4, 2022
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