Fan overwhelmed by Yeovil Town support for breast cancer unit

Yeovil Town raised £40,000 at their home game against Braintree Town

A lifelong football fan says she is "overwhelmed" after her team helped a hospital fundraiser reach its target for a new breast cancer unit.

Yeovil Town's game against Braintree on Saturday raised more than £40,000 for Yeovil District Hospital.

The appeal for the unit was launched in 2019, and the cash from the match means its £2.5m target has now been hit.

Fan Karina Parsons was diagnosed with cancer five years ago and said she was "completely blown away" by the support.

Fans raised £20,000 for players to wear pink during the match, and club chairman Martin Hellier then matched their donations.

Ms Parsons said "everyone was in tears" and thanked fans and Mr Hellier for their kindness.

Karina Parsons said "everyone was in tears" during the match

Since her diagnosis, Ms Parsons has had biopsies, operations and radiotherapy, and said the new unit would mean so much to people going through cancer treatment.

It will have a counselling space, changing room, fitting room for special bras and prostheses, a mammography room and separate ultrasound rooms.

She said "having a central place" with "everything under one umbrella" would make the world of difference.

'Flabbergasted'

The coronavirus pandemic had taken a big toll on fundraising efforts for the new unit.

James Kirton, head of charity for Somerset NHS Foundation Trust: "This day has been a long time coming and we're so grateful to the football club and community."

"It just sums up the area and it was a very special way of getting over the line - I was just flabbergasted to meet that milestone," he added.

Currently there are no dedicated units for cancer referrals at Yeovil District Hospital.

Mr Kirton continued: "If someone has cancer, currently they have to visit lots of parts of the hospital - this will now give them a specific place to go.

"This money is really going to make a massive difference to patients and staff at the hospital."

The appeal will continue until the end of the year and patients will start noticing changes within the next 12 months.