The grandparents of a teenage girl with a severe and rare medical condition have thanked Millwall fans who are taking on an unusual challenge to support the charity that looks after their daughter.
Cameron, 15, has an extremely rare chromosomal condition which limits her speech, mobility, and eyesight – and is looked after at home by staff from Demelza Hospice.
Millwall fans are fundraising for the hospice through a September ‘stair climb’ – going up and down the stairs at the Den – as part of a whole year of support the club is giving the charity in 2022, with the aim of raising £55,000.
David and Denise, Cameron’s grandparents and legal guardians, said the club’s support “means the absolute world” to them.
David said: “Denise and I are lifelong Millwall FC fans, so we’re familiar with the old chant ‘No one likes us, we don’t care’; but the truth is, Millwall care more than anyone. The club’s support for Demelza – opening up the Den for the Millwall Stair Climb and their pledge to help raise £50k this year – means the absolute world to us because it means Demelza can continue to provide vital support and services to us, and other families like ours.”
The September 25 stair climb has four levels of difficulty – the lower tier of the Den (614 stairs), both tiers (1868 stairs), double both tiers (3736 stairs) or unlimited laps around the stadium.
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Millwall CEO Steve Kavanagh said the club was “honoured” to be hosting the stair climb, the first at a stadium.
“Lions fans are always incredibly generous when it comes to charity, and with Demelza being an organisation close to the hearts of many Millwall supporters, we are sure they will respond once again with this initiative.
“Whether you are taking on the lower tier, both tiers, the double or the unlimited challenge, we look forward to welcoming you to SE16 in September!”
Demelza runs two hospices, in Eltham in south-east London and in Sittingbourne in Kent. The charity provides care and support for children with serious or terminal conditions and their loved ones across south-east London, Kent and east Sussex. In London, Demelza supports children and families in Southwark, Lambeth, Lewisham, Greenwich, Bromley, Bexley, Croydon.
Larissa Simpson, senior events executive at Demelza, said: “We are so excited to be Millwall Football Club’s charity of choice for the year and to be working together to bring people this exhilarating stair climb challenge.
“As a charity, we’re almost entirely dependent on the generosity of our supporters to provide the funds that keep our services going. The pandemic temporarily put a stop to our fundraising events; it therefore feels absolutely amazing to be welcoming challengers to the Den in September and watch them make their way up and down the famous stadium steps.”
Millwall Stadium Stair Climb participants must be aged 16 and over to take part. To find out, visit www.demelza.org.uk/stairclimb
To donate to the club’s dedicated fundraising page, visit www.justgiving.com/campaign/millwallfootballclub