A keen golfer who lost both his parents to blood cancers is dedicating his year as captain of his local club to raising funds for Leukaemia and Myeloma Research UK (LMRUK).
On 1st April, Kevin Pluck, 59, took over the captaincy of the golf club that plays at Kingsway Golf Centre, Melbourn, Cambridge.
He has already organised a range of fundraising activities for members over the next 12 months, to raise as much money as he can for our charity.
Kevin, a retired project manager with an insurance broker, has been playing golf for 20 years and lives in Royston, Hertfordshire.
He said: “My father, Ken, died in 1981 of Leukaemia and my mother died in November 2022 of Myeloma, so I deeply understand the impact blood cancer can have on families.
“I was 11 years old when my father was diagnosed and he was given just months to live. He managed to survive five or six years and was 51 when he died. When you’re a child your father is your idol, so it was pretty traumatic to be told he wouldn’t be around for long.”
Kevin said his mother, Margaret, lived as a widow for 41 years and was diagnosed with Myeloma at the age of 81. She died three days before her 86th birthday.
Kevin is following the tradition of golf captains at Kingsway of raising funds for charity during their year at the helm and said it made sense for him to collect on behalf of LMRUK.
Golf Club members will be encouraged to donate to the charity at a number of events throughout the year, including golf-related sweepstakes, a summer barbecue and social occasions.
Kevin said: “We are a small club but we do quite a bit for good causes. I’ve set up a Just Giving page and I am hoping the money will roll in throughout the year to support the charity. Anything we make will be going to a very good cause, I know that.”
To visit the Kingsway Golf Club’s fundraising page, visit: https://www.justgiving.com/page/kevin-pluck-1707488881524.
Dr Joanna Tilley, our Operations Director added: “Blood cancer is the fifth most common cancer in the UK and the country’s third biggest cancer killer, which is why it’s vital we continue to invest in crucial research to advance our understanding of the different types of blood cancer and find more effective treatments to protect the next generation.
“Our work investing in new research wouldn’t be possible without the support and generosity of our fantastic fundraisers, like Kevin. We are extremely grateful to him and his golf club for their efforts and we can’t wait to hear how they get on.”
