Players from Leicestershire are holding a charity match to raise funds for Brain Tumour Research following the diagnosis to 30 year old player, Andi Peel.
Andi is well known in the Leicestershire basketball community, and has been a teammate of several current FIMBA GB players across the years having represented Loughborough University and Leicester Warriors.
In January 2020, he was diagnosed with a Grade 4 Glioblastoma Multiforme Brain Tumour (GMB). As it stands, this is incurable due to the location in the brain, with the life expectancy being 12-18 months. Andi was diagnosed over 2 years ago, has been left totally blind, paralysed from the waist down and is now receiving end of life care at home. Despite all this, Andi has remained a shining light and has kept on smiling and spreading his positivity.
When I was told he had a GBM, it completely crushed me because I knew the prognosis is not good. Andi’s been involved in organising the event and it’s given him a new lease of life. We want to help others avoid what he’s going through. It was devastating because he’s like my little brother, we met through basketball and we’ve played in many teams together, and we created our own successful team – Ferndale Fury – together in 2013.
Andi’s best friend, Ross Bland
Basketball is still Andi’s first love, and so it is only fitting that a match be played in his honour at his home-team, Leicester Riders, court. The match will take place on 17th April at the Morningside Arena and will be streamed online, with descriptive commentary, to allow Andi to follow it from home.
It’s only with the support of people like Ross and all those supporting the game that we’re able to progress our research into brain tumours and improve the outcome for patients like Andi.
Matthew Price, Community Development Manager at Brain Tumour Research
Further details or if you’d like to donate can be found on the JustGiving page by clicking here
Any donation, of any amount, would be hugely appreciated and will get the charity one step closer to eradicating this awful disease.
On behalf of Andi, Ross and Brain Tumour Research, we thank you in advance for any donations.