Sir Alex Ferguson, Pep Guardiola, Andre Villas-Boas, Shinji Kagawa, Kieron Dyer, José Mourinho, Micah Richards, the Real Ronaldo and a host of other sports icons have helped raise hundreds of thousands of pounds for cancer charities in memory of Sir Bobby Robson.
The Sir Bobby’s breakthrough online charity auction, which draws to a close this Sunday, has seen extraordinary support from celebrities, sports stars and leading businesses in a bid to raise £1million for Breakthrough Breast Cancer, the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation and two Suffolk hospitals.
The auction has been inundated with money-can’t-buy donations from big names everywhere, proving Sir Bobby’s Legacy continues to resonate across the globe.
Sir Bobby Robson fought cancer an incredible five times before he sadly passed away in July 2009. During the last 18 months of his life, and after retiring from football management, Sir Bobby worked hard towards a new goal – fighting cancer through his charity.
The Sir Bobby Robson Foundation focuses on the early detection and treatment of cancer and the clinical trials of new drugs that will eventually beat it. Sir Bobby’s Breakthrough is a collaboration of the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation and Breakthrough Breast Cancer, striving to one day rid the world of cancer for good.
Helping the auction to raise these crucial funds are exclusive money-can’t buy sports items, like the shirt that Gazza wore in a warm up game against Tunisia in 1990.
Micah Richards has donated Manchester City Match tickets and a meet and greet in the premier lounge, attracting the largest volume of bids so far in the entire auction.
Kieron Dyer has donated a day watching Real Madrid play Barcelona as his personal guest, which has raised an astonishing £3,100 so far.
Having donated his FIFA Ballon D’Or Award Trophy in 2011 which raised £26,000, Jose Mourinho has once again offered his support to Sir Bobby’s Breakthrough by donating a pair of his worn, signed boots.
Jose Mourinho says “Bobby Robson is one of those people who will always be remembered. Not just for what he did in his fantastic career or for one victory more or less, but for what he gave to those who had, like me, the good fortune to know him and walk by his side. I am so happy to again support Sir Bobby’s Breakthrough Auction and I encourage everyone around the world to do the same. Together we will help make the biggest difference in the fight against cancer.”
Also up for grabs in the auction which aims to have ‘something for everyone’ are VIP event and festival tickets, luxury all-inclusive holidays, a face-to-face lunch date with Bill Nighy and a 1 week stay for ten people on the award winning Akasha Catamaran yacht which has helped raise over £9000 already.
Sir Alex Ferguson, an avid supporter and donator of the auction, said “I’m very proud to support Sir Bobby’s Breakthrough Auction in honour of my dear friend Bobby Robson. In my 27 years working in England there is not a person I would put an inch above Bobby Robson. He was a great friend, a wonderful individual, a tremendous football man and somebody with passion and knowledge of the game that was unsurpassed.
I hope that people around the world will get behind this Sir Bobby’s Breakthrough online auction and help them raise hundreds of thousands of pounds in the fight against cancer.”
As the auction draws to a close, organisers are urging the public to snap up these once-in-a-lifetime experiences and help raise money for the ongoing global fight against cancer.
Mark Robson, Sir Bobby’s son, comments: “The online auction is a fantastic way to help us continue the work my father started and raise crucial funds for cancer charities. We are overwhelmed by the generous donations we’ve had. I everyone to get involved now and help raise the crucial funds that are needed to fight cancer.”
The auction ends at 7pm on Sunday, to bid visit www.sirbobbysbreakthrough.com and click ‘register to bid’