“As we all know, cancer doesn’t discriminate. It doesn’t care where you’re from, how you live, or how healthy you try to be. And now, it’s here – and it’s with my mum.”
Calum Best has revealed his mum Angie has been diagnosed with cancer as he launched a fundraising drive towards her treatment.
The son of the late east Belfast football legend George Best took to social media on Thursday to say his mum, former model, Angie Best, who is 73, has advanced colon and liver cancer.
The diagnosis was made in recent weeks and the reality TV star has launched a GoFundMe page to help Angie receive “specialist care and professionals who can offer the right treatment”.
READ MORE: Calum Best opens up on struggle to find love and impact of dad George’s deathREAD MORE: Calum Best recalls wild night out with football legend dad George when he was 15
In an emotional video message to his followers, Calum, 44, said: “Hi everyone, I’ve been thinking long and hard over the past few weeks about how to write this. I wanted to get the words right, but when it comes to health, and when it comes to my mum, the only thing that really matters is honesty.
“A few weeks ago, my beautiful, wonderful mum was diagnosed with cancer. For as long as I can remember, she has lived her life rooted in health, fitness and wellbeing. She has always believed in taking care of the body, mind and soul. But as we all know, cancer doesn’t discriminate. It doesn’t care where you’re from, how you live, or how healthy you try to be. And now, it’s here – and it’s with my mum.
“I’ll be honest, I haven’t cried in years but this has been an emotional rollercoaster I never expected to be on. We’ve reached a point where we felt it was important to share what we’re going through and, humbly, ask for help. “My mum has been diagnosed with colon cancer that has spread to her liver. To move forward, we need access to specialist care and professionals who can offer the right treatment.”
Appealing for help, Calum added: “This is incredibly hard for me to say, but financially, I can’t carry this on my own. So we’ve created this GoFundMe page to ask for your support.
“Any contribution, no matter how small, will help us access the specialists, treatment and care my mum needs during this time. We’ll also be sharing updates along the way, and my mum will be posting videos too, when she feels able. “From the bottom of my heart, thank you for reading, for caring, for sharing and for supporting us in any way you can. Calum x.”
Calum also included a message from Angie, who was married to George for eight years from 1978. TV personality Calum was born in 1981.
Angie’s message read: “I’m ready to fight, research and have consultations on
1. immune therapy, 2. Targeted chemo to shrink my tumours not kill all my NK and T cells, 3. Interventional Radiology, 4.HAI Hepatic artery infusion, liver directed, my colon cancer has spread to my liver. These funds will cover all of the above and include 5. Living expenses 6. Home care 7. Travel
“Consultations and research all takes dosh which I don’t have BUT I truly believe that this info will be invaluable as research suggests 1 in 2 of us will get some form of cancer. Yikes. Wish me luck, Onwards and upwards Homies. Our link is on both our pages “
Angie first met footballer George in LA in 1975. At the time, he was signing to play for the Los Angeles Aztecs but a year later, the pair moved to London. Angie returned to LA but George followed her and asked her to marry him. However, the couple split in 1982 and formalised their divorce in 1986.
The fundraising link can be accessed here.
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