Match to honour "brave" and "intelligent" young sports fan

Wednesday 22 February 2023

Islanders are being invited to show their support at a fundraising football match this weekend in memory of a popular 18-year-old sports fan, who passed away aged 18 last year from a rare form of bone cancer.

First diagnosed at 14, Callum McNulty struggled with the condition throughout his school life. However, he didn't let it show.

Louise Kedge, the Student Support lead at Hautlieu School, got to know Callum well over the years.

"Although he had cancer, he was so private about it and he didn't want to be treated any differently, he just wanted to get on with it," she said.

"There were times where it was hard, and you could tell it was difficult, but he was always more worried about how other people were feeling."

Pictured: Callum McNulty was remembered as a "popular" and "lovely lad", who had a "respectful cheeky side". 

Louise described Callum as: "Such a lovely lad. He was popular, he had good friends, he was respectful and loyal... he had sort of respectful cheeky side. He always had his sense of humour."

He was also "incredibly bright", still managing to get his GCSEs despite his illness, and had hopes of passing The London Institute of Banking Diploma in Financial Studies before he passed away. 

Callum was also a lifelong sports fan, as Louise explained: "Sport was his life. He played football, he would go surfing, he went Pier jumping,  so when he got the illness it was really difficult for him. He was a fan of Formula 1 racing, and was a die-hard Liverpool fan. Before he was ill, Callum played for Springfield school, Grainville and Trinity."

In honour of Callum and his lifelong passion for sport, Hautlieu school and Callum's parents, Jo and Alan, have put together Callum's Cup.

Taking place this Saturday (25 February) at 14:00, Hautlieu's year 11 team will be playing their opposite numbers at Grainville School, where Callum used to be a student, at Springfield Stadium. Callum also previously attended Springfield Primary School, and some of their pupils will be acting as mascots at the match.

Pictured: Callum's Cup is taking place this Saturday at 14:00 at Springfield Stadium.

Louise is hoping that Callum's cup will become and annual fixture. 

Louise said: "The big message is that he was a really nice lad and it's such a loss to the island as a whole that someone with so much potential was taken so young."

In a video about the match, Joanne McNulty, Callum's mum, said: "Although Callum did have cancer, he never wanted anyone to feel sorry for him. So I would like this match to celebrate Callum."

She added: "Callum also wanted to raise awareness of his cancer, even if it was, in his words, just to help one person." 

SUPPORT...

Tickets to the match are £5, and all the proceeds will be donated to the Ewing's Sarcoma Research Trust.

There will also be a raffle taking place, with vouchers for local restaurants, tea at the Grand, a Active year pass membership and even a custom portrait by local artist Rob Allen up for grabs.  For those who can't attend, donations are still open on the Just Giving page which you can access HERE.

Tickets are avaliable on Eventbrite HERE and will be available on the door. Parking at Springfield Stadium is limited, so visitors are encouraged to leave plenty of time to park elsewhere if need be.