"Star names join Darren's cancer campaign"
Barnsley footballers and other star names in sport are coming together for a cancer awareness campaign organised by former Barnsley marketing manager Darren Hayes.
The 34 year old from Monk Bretton was diagnosed with testicular cancer last June, a day before he left his job at Oakwell. During his time with the town football team and his playing career with Barnsley Cricket Club he has made a number of high profile sporting contacts and he is using these to make more people aware of the threat of cancer.
He said: "I found a lump three weeks before I had it checked out, but like any bloke, you just ignore it and think it is nothing. Then the doctor tells you what it is and it hits you."
"People think it won't happen to them but take me for example, I play cricket, I don't smoke and if someone had said last year I would have cancer I would have laughed at them. That is why I want to raise awareness because it can happen to anyone."
Darren, a lifelong Barnsley fan landed his dream job when he was hired to spearhead Barnsley FC's promotion and marketing department. However his time at Oakwell came to an end at the same time he received the life-shattering news.
"I loved working at Oakwell and no-one can ever take that away from me. There was no falling out or anything like that, it was just that they wanted one thing and I wanted to do it another way. There are no skeletons in the cupboard.
"If anything the fact that I left the day after being diagnosed with cancer helped because it gave me more time to recover."
It was a whirlwind couple of weeks for the father of three. After leaving his job on the Friday, he was operated on the following Thursday. After a two to three week recovery process he underwent a series of other tests, including a CT scan to see if any of the cancer had spread.
There were traces in his stomach and he underwent chemotherapy to clear that. It was a testing time, the most difficult period in his life but the treatment he received from Rotherham Hospital and Western Park Hospital has made him want to return the favour.
"Rotherham Hospital were excellent, the specialist there explained everything to me and my wife. When I was told to go to Western Park, that's when it hits you because it is as serious as it can get."
"I want to give something back to them because both were fantastic. People think Western Park is a Sheffield hospital but it is not. Everyone north of Nottingham and south of Newcastle get sent here. There are only three dedicated cancer hospitals in the country and that is why they need our support."
Darren is not just hoping to raise awareness with a poster campaign involving Barnsley footballers and several other players from South Yorkshire, but he is also planning a number of social nights to raise money for both hospitals.
He added: "The first dinner is in May or June and then hopefully the follow up night will be with Shane Warne, the Australian cricketer. Dimi Mascaranhas is a friend of mine through Barnsley cricketer Alex Morris, who used to play cricket at Hampshire with both of them.
"He is speaking with Shane on my behalf and Dimi has already supplied me with pictures and shirts from Shane and also shirts from the England team."
It is not just the king of spin who has agreed to join Darren's campaign, a number of footballers including Chris Morgan and Brian Howard, as well as players from the Sheffield Steelers and Sheffield Eagles have pledged their support.
Also up for auction will be a Kevin Pietersen shirt, Manchester United items organised by former Oakwell manager Andy Ritchie, a Darren Gough shirt and signed pictures, an England cricket bat, Bruce Grobbelaar pictures and Ricky Hatton items.
About 30 high profile names from the world of sport have agreed to attend the various functions and Darren has also been asked to front a men's cancer awareness campaign called 'out of the blue' for Western Park Hospital Cancer Appeal.
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