Wee Oscar Knox won the hearts of the nation during his two and a half year fight with high-risk neuroblastoma, but tragically he died in 2014 at just 5 years old. His parents, Stephen and Leona Knox, set up the annual golf day in his memory to raise vital funds for research into the disease.
The 8th annual Oscar Knox Cup, set to take place on Friday 1st September at Belfast’s Fortwilliam Golf Club, brings together golf enthusiasts, corporate partners, philanthropists and sports personalities alike for a fun-filled day of friendly competition and giving back. With the invaluable support of Balloo Hire, this year’s event could be the biggest yet, building on the almost £150,000 raised over the past seven years.
Oscar’s Dad Stephen said “We are absolutely delighted to welcome Balloo Hire on board as Title Sponsor for this year’s Oscar Knox Cup. Their generous support and commitment to our cause will enable us to further advance our research efforts and provide vital resources to help children fighting cancer. Together, we can make a significant impact and bring additional hope to families here in NI and beyond.”
Mark Grundy, Divisional Director, Balloo Hire Centres said: “We are proud to partner with the Oscar Knox Fund and support their tireless efforts to combat neuroblastoma. As a Company we believe in giving back to the community we serve, and this partnership provides an excellent opportunity to make a real difference in the lives of children and families affected by this terrible disease.”
Oscar’s Mum Leona Knox, who is Head of Research at Solving Kids’ Cancer UK said; “Childhood cancer research is massively underfunded, which is delaying the discovery of more effective and less toxic treatments to help children just like Oscar. Less than half of children diagnosed with high-risk neuroblastoma are alive 5 years after diagnosis. That is simply not good enough. Far too many families continue to be devastated in the same way that ours has been.”
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“At Solving Kids’ Cancer UK we are working hard towards a day where no child dies of neuroblastoma, or suffers due to its treatment. All money raised at Oscar’s golf day goes to the Oscar Knox Fund and will be used to fund research into the horrendous disease that took him from us. We are so grateful to all of our sponsors, golfers, donors, volunteers and to everyone at Fortwilliam Golf Club for their wonderful support over the last 7 years.”
The Oscar Knox Cup regularly features local sports personalities such as boxers Carl Frampton, Paddy Barnes, Michael and Jamie Conlan, Antrim Snooker star Mark Allen, Belfast Giants Coach Adam Keefe and ex-Manchester Utd player Keith Gillespie. Participants will compete in a day of friendly competition, networking and giving back. They will also have the opportunity to test their skills in a range of on-course competitions such as the Balloo chip in challenge, longest drive, closest to the pin, beat the bookie and beat the pro. There will also be the chance to win a Rolex Submariner watch worth over £15,000 with a hole-in-one courtesy of Pride and Pinion. After the golf, players will enjoy a two-course meal, prize giving, auction, raffle and evening of live entertainment.
For more information, sponsorship opportunities, or to offer a prize for auction or raffle please send an email to oscarknoxcup@gmail.com or contact Stephen on 07747000052
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