By Paul Connolly
Whitby Town’s players and management have raised £230 for a brave teenager who is fighting a rare form of cancer.
Dion Yates, a keen kickboxer from Middlesbrough, is battling Ewing sarcoma and will soon learn whether she will face life-saving surgery.
A JustGiving page has also been set up to raise money for the 17-year old, who is fighting the illness for a second time in her teenage life.
Her story has found its way to the Turnbull Ground, where Whitby Town’s players and coaching staff have each donated part of their expenses, totalling £230, from their latest wage packet to support Dion’s battle.
Our players have raised awareness for the #DoItForDion campaign today. To find out more & donate yourself, go to: https://t.co/oXfqGUddHl pic.twitter.com/bXNnrlyiS5
— Whitby Town FC (@WhitbyTownFC) February 4, 2017
The Blues’ goalkeeping coach Daniel Dixon, who organised the club’s donation, believed it was the least that could be done.
“We appreciate everybody getting involved,” Dixon told Yorkshire Voice.
“We heard about Dion’s story through the local press and I’ve got a friend who is Dion’s Godfather, he was raising awareness for the campaign.
“I got in touch with him and told him I had an idea to donate our expenses towards to it and promote it through our social media channels.
“As players, it was the least we could do. Dion is a local girl who is going through a hard time. She’s ill again for the second time in her adolescent life.
“If any supporters would like to get involved, then search for DoIt4Dion on Facebook. Any donations and shares of the posts are more than welcome and greatly appreciated.”
Dixon also believes that it’s a campaign that can spread across the region.
“The idea was that we’d do it on Saturday, and then pass it on to a few Northern League sides,” he added.
“Hopefully a lot of the Teesside-based sides can get involved.
“We’d have to see who’s got contacts at which clubs. At the moment we’re contacting people who we’ve either played for or with. Ideally we’d like to get it to go as far as it can though.”
For more information about Dion’s campaign, watch the video below.