Fundraiser for Ipswich Town fan with terminal cancer

Steve Kirby is raising funds for his friend Gary Battle, who has a stage four terminal brain tumour, to experience a game watching from the Sir Bobby Robson suite, with a VIP experience. 

Gary, who is 52 from Lowestoft, is a season ticket holder in the Sir Bobby Robson stand at Portman Road, and has a wish list of things he would like to do. 

Gary Battle was diagnosed with stage four terminal brain tumour last year (Image: Steve Kirby)

Mr Kirby, who last year donated £26,000 to the Ipswich Town Foundation, said: "We haven't known each other a massive amount of time but we have become best friends. 

"I call him my football brother and he calls my mum his football mummy. We've got really close in the section we sit in, and we do social things together. 

"If you met him, he's so lovable. He hasn't got a bad bone in his body. 

Steve has described Gary as his football brother (Image: Steve Kirby)

"I wanted to do something for him, and over the year he has come along with me to a meal last year and meet the team, but he wanted to watch the game in comfort. 

"Just the other day, he said 'I just want to live long enough to see the Norwich game' and to see another Christmas, and it's horrible. 

"He still keeps going though, him and his wife Nina are just amazing, they still have French exchange students over." 

Gary Battle (Image: Steve Kirby)

The experience costs £3,000, with Town fans already raising £2,125 in just a week. 

Anything over the £3,000 would then be put towards two charities Gary has chosen, these include St Elizabeth Hospice and The Big Cancer Charity's Norwich support centre. 

A link to the GoFundMe page can be found here. 

Gary with his wife, Nina (Image: Steve Kirby)