If Sunderland were playing this coming Saturday, it’s a fair bet Olivia Hutchison would be there. Instead she intends to jump out of a plane. No, not in despair but inspired by the plucky fight little Bradley Lowery is mounting against the wretched Neuroblastoma disease that afflicts him. Read Olivia’s story and, if you can, donate …
My name is Olivia Hutchison (@livvhutchison at Twitter), I’m 18 and I went to my first Sunderland game (thanks to my dad @RobHSafc) when I was seven.
It took me a couple of years to see my first win and, 11 years later, I have generally known nothing but misery.
Living in South Ruislip, we normally get to around 10 away games a season. Highlights have included winning at Chelsea a few years ago during the Great Escape, Palace this season (pinch me, pinch me) and the low points point by a considerable margin, the 8-0 drubbing at Southampton.
I will never forget when the 8th goal went in on 79 minutes and I turned to my dad and asked him if we could go. “Remember when we beat Chelsea and you said it was the best day of your life? Well today you have to take your medicine.” Enough said, I get it.
I love away games. The craic with the travelling diehards, a nod and a smile to the person in the next row, no idea who he is but we see him at every away game and the feeling of euphoria when we occasionally nick a precious win. There’s nothing better.
That’s what supporting Sunderland is all about. You can change your boyfriend but you can’t change your football team. It’s all dad’s fault of course. Thanks to him this will stay with me for the rest of my life now and I dream for when Saturday comes.
Dad and his better half Fran got me a parachute jump for my 18th birthday and a couple of weeks ago it suddenly occurred to me, let’s do it for Bradley.
His mum was kind enough to give me all the info I needed, I got my page set up and set a conservative target of £500 [Olivia has already comfortably exceeded this figure – Ed]. My love of Sunderland is put into perspective with Bradley in his fight with Neuroblastoma. He has captured the hearts of many – me included and I’m so proud to be doing my jump for him.
My dad occasionally writes one-word player ratings for Salut! Sunderland on match days but I have my own 11 words to sum up Bradley in his fight.
*Inspirational, 10/10
*Humbling, 10
*Courageous,10
*Charismatic, 10
*Brave, 10
*Incredible, 10
*Smiling, 10
*Heroic, 10
*Battling, 10
*Touching, 10
*Emotional, 10
Bradley deserves every chance in life and I am proud to be jumping out of a plane for him to help make that happen.
If you would like to donate to my Just Giving page (even if it’s just a couple of pounds),this is the link.
As soon as this item has been posted, Salut! Sunderland will donate £52, the exact amoiunt needed – as I write – to take her total of pledges to £800.
And now, if you’d like to take a look at our Leicester City-SAFC buildup, please use the link below …
Keep fighting Little Man. Here’s Praying for you. From an avid Toon fan but a Father & Granddad first.
Well done Olivia. A great gesture and all the best. You are braver than I when it comes to such pursuits and your fundraising says a lot about you as a young person too.
What I am about to say may sound churlish and uncharitable to some but believe me I fully support the Lowrey’s campaign to do whatever they can for their son.
I don’t believe in any god but I do believe that miracles can be achieved by the intellect, enterprise, endeavour and application of people around the globe and I hope against hope that there is some way that Bradley can get through this.
But I also hope people will remember that the Lowrey family is only one of thousands whose lives have been turned upside down by cancer and other equally life threatening conditions and will use this inspirational family as a nudge to help fund treatment and research programmes in a wider sense, by finding a way to support one of the other marvellous organisations who deal with things like this.
Your sincerity is obvious, Malcolm, and your heart is in the right place. I would just add that in the absence of adequate funding of the NHS, the kind of support generated by campaigns such as Bradley’s Fight have an important place, in seeking to help the individual but also in raising awareness generally.
Terrific touch from Salut that; if only Jack Rodwell’s first touch was that impressive. . .