Daryl Powell shares emotional meaning behind Leigh Leopards clash amid young grandson’s ‘cancer journey’

Wakefield boss Daryl Powell says he’s ‘proud and honoured’ that Trinity are utilising Sunday’s game against Leigh Leopards to raise funds for the Candlelighters Trust, sharing the emotional journey that his family are currently on following grandson Clarke’s leukaemia diganosis.

At the start of this year, three days prior to his first birthday, Powell‘s grandson Clarke was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia.

Treatment has been ongoing since his January diagnosis, and following numerous rounds of chemotherapy, Clarke is now cancer free, with his recovery still requiring multiple hospital visits each month.

This weekend, when Wakefield host Leigh, the Super League encounter has been designated as a game which will help to raise awareness for Candlelighters, the cancer charity that have supported Powell, daughter Kegan and their family over the last six months.

Daryl Powell shares emotional meaning behind Leigh Leopards clash amid young grandson’s ‘cancer journey’

Trinity‘s players will don the charity’s logo as well as Clarke’s name and a ‘Team Clarkey Boy’ design on their kits.

‘Team Clarkey Boy’ was set up to help raise money for the charity, and on Sunday, there will be a bucket collection at Belle Vue, with supporters also able to donate online via JustGiving HERE.

Opening up on the last six months, Powell said: “It’s been a really difficult and emotional time for my family, particularly for my daughter Kegan and her husband Eamonn.

“It’s very difficult for families when it happens to them, particularly with someone so young, it was just before his first birthday when it happened.

“It’s been six months of constant treatment. The Candlelight’s charity have been superb, it’s been a really emotional and difficult time for the whole family, but we’ve done what families do in sticking together and supporting one another.

“Clarke’s finished his chemotherapy now, he’s at home and he still has to go in a fair bit to hospital for blood transfusions and things like that.

“This is the start of a journey, because cancer is a journey. We’re hopeful he’s going to be well.

“He’s happy and smiling at the moment while still going through a very difficult time, he’s been a very brave young person and handled it so well.

“We’re hoping he doesn’t remember anything of it because it’s really tough for him, but we’re all praying he’s going to be well and has a fantastic life.

“A lot of my family will be here on Sunday, it”ll be a big day for them and a big day for Candlelighters, who’ve been unbelievable.

“They’ve provided support in all sorts of ways. They even have grandparents meetings where you get to share what having an illness like this means to the whole family.

“My daughter would have found it much more difficult to get through this if it hadn’t been for Candlelighters, I can’t speak highly enough of the charity and the support that it’s put around my family during this very difficult time.”

‘I’m proud and honoured that the club have done that, it’s a phenomenal thing to do, and that’s what kind of club this is’

The Candlelighters Trust provide practical, emotional and financial support to children living with cancer in Yorkshire and their families.

Over the last six months, the charity have been able to provide accommodation for Clarke and his parents close to the hospital he is under the care of so that the one-year-old had his family nearby.

With Sunday’s game screened live on BBC TWO, the special shirts worn by the Trinity players will be auctioned off following the game to help boost the fundraiser.

Powell continued: “When Clarke first got diagnosed, I explained to the players what had happened and said that I just wanted them to treat me the same.

“I come here and this is my diversion away from the difficulties at home, and they (the players) have been phenomenal.

“The other day, I explained to them where Clarke is at now and showed them a little bit of the video.

“The shirt has got Clarke’s name and ‘Team Clarkey Boy’ (on it), and the Candlelighters logo on the front.

“I’m proud and honoured that the club have done that, it’s a phenomenal thing to do, and that’s what kind of club this is.

“I’m really proud and emotional. I wanted to get it out there to the boys really so that they knew what the shirt they’d be wearing stood for.”

At the time of writing, the fundraiser set up by Powell’s daughter Kegan for the Candlelighters Trust had raised just under £10,500. The target is £15,000.

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