Former professional footballer, Joe Thompson, who had cancer twice during his playing career, has helped kick start the move by ScottishPower to continue their partnership with Cancer Research UK for a further three years.
Joe, who made 225 appearances in the Football League during his career, was diagnosed with nodular sclerosis Hodgkin lymphoma in 2014 and was treated with six months of chemotherapy.
After making a return to the pitch, his cancer returned in 2017 when he found a tumour on his chest. He stopped playing while he underwent further treatment before being given the news that he was in complete remission.
Joe is heralding the renewal of the partnership between ScottishPower and Cancer Research UK, which was first established in 2012. The energy company has since raised over £30 million through a range of fundraising initiatives to support Cancer Research UK in its mission to accelerate progress to help three in four people to survive their cancer by 2034.
The new partnership was announced at Hampden Park, Scotland’s national stadium, with Joe alongside one of ScottishPower’s employee fundraising heroes, Campbell McDougall, 69, who has run 14 marathons to raise money after losing his mother, father and brother to cancer.
Mark Bowen, UK Marketing Director at ScottishPower, said: “We’re delighted to be continuing our partnership with Cancer Research UK for another three years and in doing so, raise even more money for this amazing charity which delivers such incredible work to beat cancer.
“Over the past nine years, ScottishPower customers and employees like Campbell have been passionate about doing their bit to support the charity and it’s so inspirational to hear stories like Joe’s and the way that the support from Cancer Research UK, coupled with his own determination, helped him in his own battle.
“Together, we have the energy to help beat cancer sooner. 375,000 customers have chosen our Help Beat Cancer tariff where we make a donation to the charity every month for each customer on it, while passionate ScottishPower employees have been amazing in their fundraising efforts.
“We’re looking forward to continuing to do everything we can to help Cancer Research UK continue its world-class research to help more people like Joe beat cancer.”
Michelle Mitchell, Chief Executive at Cancer Research UK, said: “We’re so thankful to ScottishPower for raising over £30m since the start of our partnership. This is an incredible sum.
“The money raised has, and will continue to have, a significant impact on the work we fund and the progress we make. We’d like to thank every one of ScottishPower’s customers, employees and suppliers who have helped raise these vital funds over the years.
“Our vision at Cancer Research UK is to bring forward the day when all cancers are cured and this will only be possible thanks to our supporters and partners, like ScottishPower. We are absolutely thrilled to be continuing our partnership until 2024 and working together to help beat cancer at a time when people affected by cancer have never needed us more. 1 in 2 of us will get cancer, and all of us can support the research that will beat it.”
Joe Thompson, former professional footballer, said: “It’s an honour to help raise awareness of this fantastic charity partnership and the brilliant work ScottishPower does to raise vital funds.
“Cancer Research UK is a charity extremely close to me and my family’s heart and was an invaluable source of support during my own cancer battles so it’s amazing news to know this partnership is continuing for another three years.”
ScottishPower launched a charity partnership with Cancer Research UK in 2012 with the aim of raising £5 million over three years to help beat cancer. In just 9 years, the partnership has raised over £30 million to support Cancer Research UK’s life-saving research.
