Thousands of pounds have been raised as an ex-Sheff Wed, Blackburn, Doncaster, Preston player’s son, 3, sadly battles cancer.
A fundraising appeal has been set up to support Tommy Spurr and his family after discovering that their young son Rio’s cancer has spread.
The 34-year-old has now retired from football but spent many year of his playing career in Lancashire, coming through the ranks of Sheffield Wednesday and then played for Doncaster Rovers before moving to Rovers in the summer of 2013 and stayed at Ewood Park for three seasons. He scored three goals in 84 appearances for the club.
In 2016, he moved to Deepdale to join Preston and played 25 times, scoring once, across two campaigns, then played seven times on loan for Fleetwood Town in the 2018/19 campaign, before retiring in the summer of 2019.
After hanging up his boots, with most of his career spent in the Championship, he has since become a teacher and works at Priestley College.
As the sad news emerges about Tommy Spurr’s young son, his former clubs and their fans came together to raise over 6,000. You can donate something by clicking HERE.
Earlier this year, Tommy and his wife Chloe were given the news that three-year-old son Rio was diagnosed with stage four cancer and that a large tumour was discovered on Rio’s kidney and the cancer has spread to his lungs.
The tumour and his right kidney have since been removed and Rio has undergone chemotherapy for weeks, but, pathology results of the removed tumour shows that it is high risk and Rio will now required more intense chemotherapy and radiotherapy on his lungs.
Now, a group of teachers and support staff from Priestley College, including Dan Jordan, Adam Bird, Laura Ward, Dominic Bennett and Mark Eccleston,, have set up a GoFundMe page for the Spurr family, with the child’s parents reducing working hours at the college to look after Rio and his younger brother Rudy, so the group have launched a fundraising page for the family to provide support to them.
The team will be doing a sponsored climb of Snowdon, events at the college, while Tommy Spurr and his wife are also organising a football-themed charity bike ride. The fundraising efforts – which had sought to raise £1,000 but has since surpassed £5,000 – will see money split between the Spurr family and a cancer charity of their choice.
The fundraising page read:
Hi, we are a group of teachers and support staff from Priestley College, and we are raising some money for the family of a valued teacher and friend, Tommy Spurr.
Tommy and his wife Chloe found out earlier this year that their three-year-old son Rio had stage four cancer. They were told he had a large tumour on his kidney & that the cancer had spread to his lungs. Little Rio is battling hard to overcome his illness…he’s had weeks of chemotherapy & a four hour surgery to remove the main tumour & his right kidney.
This week the family had the pathology results of the tumour they removed. It was not the news they were hoping for or expecting. The histology is unfavourable & high risk (only a tiny percentage of all Wilms tumours fall into this category) It means that it is still treatable but Rio’s will go through at least another 9 months of treatment & his chemotherapy is going to be much more intense from now on. He’ll have radiotherapy to his lungs too.
Devastatingly, it mean his chances of surviving this have decreased. He started his new chemo today & we are told he has been an absolute superstar as always.
Tommy and Chloe have had to significantly reduce their working hours to manage caring for Rio and his younger brother Rudy around time spent at Royal Manchester children’s hospital where Rio is being treated. We felt the family might need additional support during this difficult time so that they can concentrate on looking after Rio and Rudy. So, we hope to raise at least £1,000 for the family through a sponsored climb of Snowdon and other sporting activities around the college.
We will be climbing Snowdon on the 10th of July and organising some additional fund-raising events at college. We would greatly appreciate your help by donating to our cause.
Some of the money raised will go towards supporting the Spurr family during this unimaginable time and some will be donated to a cancer charity of their choice.
Fans sent support with thousands raised as the ex-Sheff Wed, Blackburn, Doncaster, Preston player’s son, 3, battles cancer…
@atpoetry: This story stopped me in my tracks. It never gets easier learning of new journeys through this awful diagnosis, and for yet another ex Wednesday favourite. All the best to you and your family Tommy and sending so much love, and good luck on the challenge! X
@JMRphin: Horrific. I send all love @TommySpurr5 will always remember you as a footballer, but sending love as a father right now. Donation on the way. Truly wishing your family all the luck and happiness
@BeckyB2702: How extremely sad 😢 praying for little Rio 🙏
@scottcain1312: Omg this is awful 😢
@danadzjones90: #swfc fans get behind @TommySpurr5 and his family really can’t imagine what they are going through. Family is much more important than football💙 #yorkshire #sheffield #southyorkshire
@Nealholden7: I’ve donated. Hope all works out for Tommy and his son
@StuO50: Terrible news. Stay strong, kids are real battlers. Keep fighting Rio.
@Lambert_1875: Can’t imagine what your going though @TommySpurr5. Rovers fans thinking of you and your family during this difficult time
@top7664: Absolutely devastating, can’t even begin to wonder what they’re going through 😢
@barmyowl1212: @TommySpurr5 All the best to Rio and his battle. Wont be easy but he will battle through it.
@daddymacca23: @TommySpurr5 u got the whole world behind u buddy. #oneroversfamily will put u in my prayers.
@ashgibson84: @TommySpurr5 thoughts are with you and Chloe and the whole family. 💙
@Janinepne: Keep strong Tommy, love to you all
Our thoughts and best wishes are with former player Tommy Spurr and his family.💙
The club have been in regular contact with the Spurr family in recent weeks regarding ways in which we can support, with details to be shared very soon. 🤍#pnefc pic.twitter.com/BTn7jgVW7c
— Preston North End FC (@pnefc) June 30, 2022
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