The football family of Australia is rallying around Joey Lynch, the son of respected soccer journalist Michael Lynch, in a bid to help pay for urgent medical treatment in the US.
The 23-year-old has been fighting a rare and severe form of cancer, Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, for eight years now, receiving what he calls the “fantastic care provided by the Australian public health system”, but unfortunately has exhausted all options for a cure in Australia and must look overseas to access a possible cure.
For this reason CanTeen, an organisation which supports young people with cancer, has set up an appeal on his behalf to help raise the $800,000 needed to fund his participation in an early phase clinical trial at the University of Pennsylvania in the US. The trial offers a potentially life-saving treatment for his disease.
Writing on the Support Joey page on the CanTeen website, Joey Lynch says: “I want to thank everyone who gives whatever they can to support me in my journey. I have no way of reaching the USA and by extension, continuing to live, without the support of others, and words can’t express the gratitude I have for any support I receive.”
Launched just over a week ago, the appeal has raised almost $70,000 from 200 donors including a number of prominent members of the football fraternity such as Ange Postecoglou, Ante Milicic, Sydney FC, and Socceroo star Tim Cahill, who donated his match fee from the Tajikstan game, amounting to almost $6,000.
Joey Lynch says on the website that he has been overwhelmed by the response so far.
“When this appeal was launched I was sitting in a hospital room, dealing with an infection that had required a weeks worth of hospitalisation, and in a pretty melancholy mood. I could never have imagined the response that was to come of this, the scope of goodwill that existed in the community and the generosity that individuals such as yourself possessed.
“This eight year experience has been a very difficult one, but it is thanks to generous people such as yourselves that there is a light at the end of the tunnel.”
Managing director of Teibal Sports Group Lou Sticca says that Joey’s father Michael has been very moved by the generous support shown by everyone who has donated.
“There’s a long way to go,” Sticca adds. “A lot of people don’t realise that unless the whole $800,000 is in the bank, the hospital in America won’t take him. They need the whole money in the bank account before they allow the kid to go there. It’s crazy but that’s the way it is. They’re trying to raise it as quickly as possible because this is not something that can drag on for a long time.”
To donate directly to the CanTeen appeal for Joey, please go to www.supportjoey.everydayhero.com/au/joey
There are a number of fundraising events being planned to help raise funds. One such event is a Greek Tavern night on Thursday 22 October at Yanni’s Tavern, 840 High St, Kew East, Melbourne. Tickets are $100 per head. Please ring the tavern direct to make a booking on 9859 2422.
