Manchester City and Jack Grealish back Gemma Lee appeal

A charity fund has received a boost from football giants Manchester City and £100m star Jack Grealish.
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BBC Radio Tees presenter Paul “Goffy” Gough recently received a City shirt signed by the England international.

It will shortly be auctioned at an event in aid of Gemma Lee, the wife of Hartlepool United manager Graeme Lee, who needs to raise £120,000 so she can undergo trial drug treatment for an inoperable brain tumour.

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Hartlepool celebrity Goffy explained: “I was contacted by Alan Moreland, who is a hugely respected scout for Manchester City in our area.

BBC Radio Tees presenter Paul ‘Goffy’ Gough with the personally signed Jack Grealish Manchester City shirtBBC Radio Tees presenter Paul ‘Goffy’ Gough with the personally signed Jack Grealish Manchester City shirt
BBC Radio Tees presenter Paul ‘Goffy’ Gough with the personally signed Jack Grealish Manchester City shirt

"Alan is based in Bishop Auckland and has been a loyal listener to my shows on the radio down the years.

“He called me to say that he had been to the Etihad Stadium and arranged for Jack Grealish to personally sign a Manchester City shirt for Gemma.

"It should raise a significant amount of money for the fund as we all know how popular Jack is with football fans.

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“Alan brought with it a certificate of authenticity from the club and that kind of thing just helps to add value to it.

"It was lovely of Alan to help with this via his work link to Manchester City.

"He has been a Lee family friend for many years too with strong links to Graeme’s dad when Tony Lee managed Bishop Auckland FC.”

Forty-year-old Gemma, who is mum to two young children, was diagnosed with terminal brain cancer in 2019.

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The new trial drugs costs £5,000 a month with the ongoing appeal to fund a year’s treatment so far raising almost £93,000.

A proposed fundraising event, hosted by Goffy, is being planned and follows a function last year in Middlesbrough which raised more than £20,000 for the cause.

Goffy added: ““The world of football has taken Gemma’s very challenging and inspirational story to heart and I know that fans from around the area have brilliant too, as it proved via the £20,000 raised during the last event in Middlesbrough.

"These are hugely difficult times for so many people and I know the Lee family are taken aback regarding the support they are receiving.”

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The online JustGiving appeal in aid of Gemma can be supported at https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/warriorgl365

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