Raising Vital Funds for Three-year-old's Leukaemia Treatment

CHARLIE Hempstead is looking forward to Torquay United’s third round Isuzu FA Trophy tie against Horsham on Saturday, December 7.

He is also looking beyond it.

For Charlie, the programme editor and match reporter for Isthmian League Premier Division underdogs Horsham, will be just two weeks away from another important date.

Charlie is 63 and vowed, 14 years ago, that he would never attempt a marathon again, but he is dusting down his running vest and unmothballing his roadracers to help raise money for the desperately sick son of ex-Torquay United and Plymouth Argyle footballer, Jakub Sokolik.

The three-year-old - Jakub junior - has B-cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia, a fast-growing and aggressive type of blood cancer. Despite Jakub having lived in the UK for 10 years, playing for Liverpool, Southend, Argyle, Yeovil and the Gulls, his son is ineligible for NHS treatment.

The insurance cover has run out and the mega costly treatment of the illness has left Jakub in debt. He is working all hours to pay off those debts, but costs are ongoing and the cancer is unforgiving; the next phase of treatment has to be paid for and there is not enough money to pay for it.

Which is why Charlie is taking part in the Chasing Numbers Christmas Cracker on December 20.

He wants to raise money to help Jakub cover the treatment of his son’s illness and to give the whole Sokolik family a Christmas to remember and a New Year full of the hope that has been sadly absent in a super tough 2024.

Charlie is appealing to all football fans, whether they support Torquay or another club, to consider donating even a small amount to his marathon fundraiser so he can help make Christmas dreams come true.

Please, give what you can.

To support Charlie, you can visit his Go Fund Me page HERE.