Phil’s Everton FC 10K run in honour of his hero dad, Michael.

When Phil Gray pops in for a cheque presentation, of more than a magnificent £9,000 to the hospice, he’s just returned from a three-week break in India with wife, Alison.

He was keen to tell us he’d learnt a Nepalese phrase, Mero buba, mero hiro! My father my hero, while on holiday, and it beautifully sums up why he’d chosen to raise funds for us.

His beloved dad, Michael, has been attending outpatients appointments and been through our full Wellbeing Centre programme*, designed to help him to live as well as possible with his bowel cancer in his home life outside of the hospice.

“Ever since we first met with Dr Emma, we felt a great part of dad’s burden was lifted from his shoulders.

The support has been amazing. The people are brilliant, and the courses have helped dad immensely.”

In gratitude for his dad’s support Phil sought sponsorship for the hospice by signing up for the Everton Football Club 10K which takes place in October.

In what might be the considered the words of an accomplished athlete, Phil told us,

“The fact that I started the 10K at all was thanks to my physio, Ryan, who does some of his best work for Wrexham FC.

I listened to his advice, and I was so grateful to get to be able to start and then actually enjoy the run, starting and finishing at Everton FC’s new Hill Dickinson Stadium taking in the sights of the Liverpool waterfront.

I’d chatted to one of the Marshal’s, a lady who was a pacer and wearing a red hat, and enquired whether she was a Liverpool fan. We had a laugh, and she maintained her absolute neutrality, then somewhere near the finishing line she saw me again and helped me wave the flag I’d taken to honour dad as I crossed the line.

It was a really great day. I’m so, so grateful for everybody, friends, family, colleagues and clients who so generously sponsored me.”

So, why did Phil need physio? Well, only a couple of months earlier Phil had torn a distal muscle (see picture here) at the back of his leg while playing in a celebrity, and friends of Everton FC (which he is), football match at the famous Goodison Park.

(That game is now one of the last matches played at the ground, affectionately named the old lady, and the early injury to Phil meant he had to retreat into a goalkeeping position and, again, impressively he only conceded one goal in a historic 2-1 victory, with former World Champion boxer, Tony Bellew, scoring the winner!

Kudos, Phil, memorable stuff).

Since the match Phil has also been able to take dad, Michael, for a private tour of the new ground which left them both feeling as proud as punch and, in a further heartfelt show of support for Michael, various local sporting legends have sent him supportive personal videos.

(Phil, his mum, Jeanette, and Michael give big thanks to Tony Bellew, Duncan Ferguson, Alan Stubbs, Peter Reid, Robbie Fowler, Sammy Lee and Everton FC ladies captain, Megan Finnigan, for their kind words).

As managing director of Watts Commercial Finance company, Phil and colleagues have been involved in other special fundraising activities down the years. They raised funds for a friend of Phil’s (he calls him Beano) who needs a new leg, ‘bionic’ Phil calls it, having lost it due to a cancerous tumour. His firm also chose Cheshire childhood cancer charity, The Joshua Tree, as their partner this past year. So, in pursuit of those funds, he has previously undertaken an extreme Arctic Trek and organised a splendid black tie dinner event which was headlined by the voice of M People, Heather Small MBE. Wowser!

And, as if she sang to Phil personally, he’s going to be searching for the hero inside himself as he’s in the planning stage of completing a Mount Everest base camp challenge in 2027 for Wirral Hospice St John’s.

Everyone at the hospice is so grateful for your support, Phil.

All of our very best wishes are with you and your mum and, of course, your dad, Michael.

Wirral Hospice St John’s Wellbeing Centre offers a full range of physical, psychological, spiritual and emotional support for patients and their families.

A team of experienced doctors, nurses, health care assistants, physiotherapists, occupational and complementary therapists, a children and young person’s practitioner, counsellors, social workers, a spiritual coordinator, all supported by experienced volunteers, are on hand to make sure that we can deliver the most appropriate support for each individual and their closest loved ones.   

*An initial, up to, nine-week programme will help patients with resilience and spiritual support, nutrition, advance care planning, understanding pain, mobility and falls prevention, preparing for appointments and medicine management, bowel and urinary health, hydration & skin care and getting restful and important sleep.

If you’re inspired to take on a run, walk, challenge, or perhaps organise your own fundraising for us, please contact Jo & Hayley: 0151 343 0778 or email events@wirralhospice.org  or visit www.wirralhospice.org/eventsandcompanies