AFC Wimbledon’s football boss has paid tribute to the charity who helped his wife battle against leukaemia last year.

Terry Brown revealed his wife Suzy has just been given the all-clear for six months after having a “tremendous success” with a bone marrow transplant.

AFC Wimbledon were without Terry Brown for four games towards the end of last year while his wife underwent her treatment.

For the first time, the club is now raising money for blood cancer charity Anthony Nolan with a gruelling mountain bike ride.

Mr Brown said: "It is an absolutely fantastic charity.

"They did a brilliant job when my wife was ill last year and there is real progress in the battle against Leukemia.

“They only have a tight window to get suitable donors in for bone marrow and the charity has huge success in what they do.

“She has to have checks every month, but the bone marrow has been a tremendous success so far.

"The charity does a great job in saving the lives of young and old people alike."

The club’s Velo and Blue cycle fundraising team are now gearing up for a gruelling 4,443m climb of Mont Ventoux, southern France, on Monday, April 30.

Part of the 10-man team is Wimbledon’s kitman Robin Bedford, who has been clocking up the miles for his third Velo and Blue event with training circuits at Box Hill and Richmond Park.

He said: “I have been doing 400 miles a month on average in training.

"This event has got bigger and bigger as in the first year we only had four cyclists, but now we have 10.

“This year is the hardest one that we will have done.

"I am reasonably confident, but I am looking forward to it as it is for a good cause.”

For the past few months, the club have been selling Velo and Blue lottery tickets to raise funds, which will be split between Anthony Nolan and equipment for the club’s gym.

There will be a sum of £444.30 on offer for the lucky draw winner (£1 for every 10 metres of the 4,443 metres climb).

The draw will be made on May 1 and tickets can be bought for £2 at afcwimbledon.co.uk/shop/tickets/.

Striker Jack Midson, the club’s top scorer, is also raising money for Anthony Nolan by climbing Mount Snowdon on May 12. To donate visit: Justgiving.com/JackMidson.


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