Tony Lormor marked the first anniversary of the Cancer Support Group he helped to launch by outlining the plans for the future.
The group was set-up in November 2022 by the former Spireites striker and Dawn Warrington, Macmillan information and support centre lead, to encourage people affected by cancer to talk freely with others in a similar position.
First diagnosed with the disease in 2011, Tony co-hosts the outreach service every month in the HUB at the Technique Stadium when guidance and support are available to attendees.
Since the first meeting, the group has steadily grown in numbers and has around 25 regular members who come and share their own experiences of cancer around coffee and cakes.
And the 1995 Division Three play-off final hero now hopes more people will benefit from the additional initiatives that the group is aiming to introduce in the near future.
Tony, who has beaten cancer himself an incredible four times, said: “It’s been quite special.
“When you start something, you have an idea of how you want it to be, how it will go and how it will grow, but it has probably gone way beyond my initial expectations.
“We had 30 or 35 people at our last meeting and the fact that we can support people with a different array of diagnosis, carers and supporters is a massive tick-box for the two of us.
“We have managed to pull things together and keep the group growing because you can never stand still with anything.
“We recently had a chat about how we can take the group forward, expand it and what we can do for next year.
“We are looking to have a bereavement and carers group and we are going into schools to run assemblies and hope to have a support mechanism for school children.”
Dawn is delighted with how far the group has progressed since co-hosting the first meeting with Tony.
She said: “With Tony and his lived experience of having cancer and my professional support, it’s a good group for anyone to come to.
“We get absolutely amazing feedback. It’s a bit like an extended family where people come down to share how they feel and to get support.”
The next meeting is this Friday (December 16), from 10am to 12 noon. It is free to attend and all are welcome.
