Ex-Premier League referee Mark Halsey who beat off throat cancer seven years ago, and who has a property in Villamartin, refereed a charity football match last Friday in aid of a local player, Wilmer, who has also been struck down with the same disease. The popular player, aged in his thirties, was hit by a tumour in his throat earlier in the year which has spread around his face, which means that he has had difficulty eating and has lost a lot of weight. The match was to raise money to help pay for his treatment, something that Mark Halsey is also very familiar with because the 55-year-old ex official underwent chemotherapy to treat a cancerous tumour in his throat in 2009. The following year he was back refereeing matches until he retired in 2013.
The charity match at the Orihuela Costa CDM in Playa Flamenca saw the Bacchus Bar team beat the Wilmer XI by five goals to three in what was a highly entertaining encounter. Afterwards, everybody decamped to the Bacchus Bar in La Zenia for a special raffle and auction, which with some special donations, all added up to a very impressive total of 1,135 euros. Many sponsors donated prizes including the Bed Shop at La Zenia who provided a new mountain bike and TKO FM who supplied four tickets to go to Terra Natura in Benidorm.
Wilmer has been personally told about the wonderful generosity of the local community by the players who took part in Friday’s match who have noticed a slight improvement in his condition as his treatment continues, with everybody hoping for a steady recovery.