Spanish legend Seve Ballesteros has asked golfers across the UK to support the first ‘Seve Summer’ and help him raise £300,000 for brain cancer research.
The new initiative is part of a fundraising drive for the Seve Ballesteros Foundation’s partnership with Cancer Research UK, which launched last December and hopes to raise £1million in its first year.
‘Seve Summer’ teed off on May 1 and runs throughout the summer. It is a chance for golf clubs and golfers across the country to show their support for Seve in his battle against brain cancer by raising funds to help beat the disease. The 53 year old was diagnosed with a brain tumour in October 2008.
Anyone inspired to take part can get involved through their club or by coordinating fundraising activities themselves. Examples include adding a fundraising element to the monthly medal competitions, introducing a ‘Ballesteros Bunker’ where golfers donate to the cause if their ball goes into a dedicated bunker, adding a pound per round as a fundraiser at the 19th hole and an Open barbecue for the final day’s play of The Open Championship.
All clubs which return funds will be entered into a prize draw to win one of three pairs of tickets to Viva la Vida, a spectacular evening of entertainment and a celebration of golf in aid of the Seve Ballesteros Foundation’s partnership with Cancer Research UK, which will be hosted by the man himself. In addition, the top two fundraising clubs will automatically receive a pair of tickets each.
Ballesteros said: “I’m lucky to be alive and owe it all to the vital research carried out by organisations like Cancer Research UK. But there’s still a lot more research that can be done into this disease, which affects around 8,000 people in the UK each year, and that’s why I’m asking golfers to support ‘Seve Summer’ and help my Foundation raise as much money as possible for Cancer Research UK.
“There are more than five million golfers in the UK and if just a small proportion of those got involved, we’d be well on our way to reaching our target and making a real impact on the lives of people like me who are diagnosed with brain cancer.”
For more information about Seve’s fight against cancer and how to support The Seve Ballesteros Foundation and its partnership with Cancer Research UK through ‘Seve Summer’ visitwww.seveballesterosfoundation.org.
