Blood cancer charity secures Soccerex partnership
Global football networking platform Soccerex has chosen Cure Leukaemia as its official charity partner for this summer 's Soccerex Connected 100 event.
The virtual event, which takes place from 24 May to 31 August, will involve delegates from more than 150 countries, feature over 150 expert speakers and provide more than 2,400 hours of networking opportunities to connect businesses with football 's key stakeholders.
Cure Leukaemia will have the opportunity to communicate the charity 's message with a global audience through Soccerex 's online platform to highlight how football - which has seen many examples of people within the game touched by blood cancer - has the power to affect real change in the treatment worldwide.
It will also give Cure Leukaemia the chance to drive fundraising opportunities this summer after the Covid-19 pandemic left the charity with a £1,700,000 fundraising shortfall.
Cure Leukaemia 's key fundraising event in 2021, The Tour 21, in which 25 amateur cyclists led by former England footballer and blood cancer survivor Geoff Thomas, will ride the full Tour de France route one week ahead of the professionals, will be highlighted throughout the event with video footage and updates.
The Tour 21 team aim to raise in excess of £1,000,000 for Cure Leukaemia this summer with the charity also now recognised as the official charity partner of the Tour de France in the UK.
All funds raised by the Tour 21 team and through Soccerex 's global amplification will be invested in the national Trials Acceleration Programme (TAP) a network of specialist research nurses in 12 of the UK 's biggest cities and a facilitatory hub in Birmingham.
Managing director of Soccerex, Philip Gegan said: “Being able to be help with the great work that Cure Leukaemia is doing is a real privilege for us at Soccerex.
“Football still has a unique ability to reach out to all the sections of society, driving attention and resources to the key challenges we face medically and civically.
“A number of members of the Soccerex Family have been affected by blood cancer and we hope that this partnership can assist in raising awareness and funds that aid Cure Leukaemia 's vital work. ”
Cure Leukaemia CEO James McLaughlin (pictured) said: “Covid-19 left us with a £1,700,000 shortfall in 2020 and yet on World Cancer Day we announced that TAP will be running five new clinical trials in 2021 despite these challenges.
“Blood cancer is a global illness and our partnership with Soccerex gives Cure Leukaemia an opportunity to highlight to the football world the international significance of the TAP network. ”