Footballer's widow turns grief into fundraiser

The grieving wife of a former footballer who died from cancer says she has turned her "pain into power" by starting a fundraising movement in his name.

Aaron Cook, from Bishops Waltham in Hampshire, known as Cookie, rose through the ranks at Portsmouth Football Club before making one senior appearance in the 1990s.

He went on to build a long semi-professional career, playing for clubs including Salisbury City, Eastleigh and Gosport Borough.

He died from cancer on 4 June, aged 46. On Saturday, his wife Suzanne organised a fundraising event called 90 Minutes for Cookie, which raised more than £6,000 for Cancer Research UK and the Football Foundation.

"Football, family and friends were his life," Suzanne said, who first met Cook four and a half years ago.

After retiring as a player, he had devoted his time to coaching young footballers in his local community.

She said that the father of three began to feel unwell in December, but initially dismissed his symptoms as heartburn or food poisoning.

In February, he was diagnosed with advanced oesophageal cancer, which had spread to his liver.

His widow described the diagnosis as an "absolutely heartbreaking experience" that changed their lives.

The couple married in March.

"Cancer can't take everything if you don't let it," she said.

Following his diagnosis, Suzanne began thinking about how to channel his love of football into something positive.

"I just had to do something for Aaron, for the children, for us as a family," she said.

She devised what she described as a "pyramid fundraising scheme", inspired by campaigns like the 2014 Ice Bucket Challenge.

Her idea encourages football teams to donate before their matches, then nominate two more teams after the final whistle to do the same ahead of their next games.

The 90 Minutes for Cookie campaign launched on Saturday in Bishops Waltham, with players of all ages from Bishops Waltham Dynamos FC taking part in matches. Cook had coached at the club, where his children also play.

A special fixture saw the Dynamos senior team take on Cookie's XI, made up of his former teammates.

Suzanne said she hoped it could be the start of The Cookie Foundation, raising money for cancer and football charities going forward.

"He was in love with the game," Suzanne said.

"It gave Aaron so much in his life and that is evident now, because it has brought together so many long-standing friendships."

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