Puttinu Cares marathon raises record €940,000

The Puttinu Cares football marathon proved to be a 60-hour festival of generosity tonight, with over €940,000 having been raised by the time it was concluded in a blaze of cheering by an army of enthusiastic volunteers.

The final figure was announced by Rene Zerafa and Dr Victor Calvagna, the brains behind the activity at the Marsa Sports Ground. Mr Zerafa said his ultimate dream was that all those who need to go to the UK for cancer treatment would not need to pay anything.  He thanked all donors, particularly patients and their relatives who had already used the Puttinu Cares facilities in the UK and were now working to make life easier for people in a similar predicament. 

The sum collected this year is well above the €700,000 raised in the same activity last year. 

The Puttinu Foundation is building apartments in Sutton, London, to help parents whose children need specialised cancer treatment in the UK. The service is being gradually extended to older patients. The total cost involved is €3 million.

The €944,000 include funds raised by Xarabank on Good Friday. The organisers said some pledged funds are still being received.