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      in Soccer

      I became an atheist after seeing a child suffer an ‘evil’ disease, says Rangers hero Graeme Souness

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      GRAEME Souness has revealed he has become an atheist after witnessing the effects of a life-limiting skin condition on children.The Scotland legend became a campaigner for people suffering with Epidermolysis Bullosa (EB) after learning about the condition at a charity dinner five years ago.
      Graeme Souness says seeing a child suffer from the disease made him an atheistCredit: Getty
      He said it is the ‘most evil and cruellest of all diseases.’Credit: Alamy
      EB – also known as ‘butterfly skin’ – is a painful skin condition that is incurable and causes painful blisters and tears from any trauma or friction to the skin.
      Souness, 70, is now vice-president of the charity DEBRA – which supports people living with the condition – and has helped raise more than £500,000.
      The Liverpool and Rangers great has now told how meeting people with the “evil” disease had stopped him believing in God.
      He said: “I wasn’t aware of the disease until five years ago and it’s the most evil and cruellest of all diseases.

      “It just robs these young people of any quality of life. It’s life-limiting for these poor children and it’s not just the sufferers but also the families that have to deal with it which is traumatic to say the least.
      “And it has changed me as a human being. I am now an atheist because I cannot believe there is an almighty that would allow this to happen to one person.”
      It is estimated that more than 5,000 people are living with EB in the UK, and 500,000 worldwide.
      Souness has become close to 14-year-old EB sufferer Isla Grist and her family who live on the Black Isle near Inverness.
      Most read in Football
      Speaking on the Up Front podcast with Simon Jordan, he added: “My little girl, she’s not my little girl but I’ve become very close to her, Isla, and it’s like someone has taken a torch to their skin.
      “It’s continually raw in their mouths and there’s not a moment of the day when she’s not in pain.
      “Do you remember when you have burned the end of your finger with a little bit of hot water and you think it’s the sorest thing that could possibly happen? Imagine your whole body being covered in that.
      “It’s red raw and they lose their skin.
      “These kids have to take the strongest of drugs to get through their lives like Ketamine, Diamorphine and it’s just the most painful, cruellest, worst thing you could experience as a human being.”
      Souness has just left his role as a Sky Sports pundit after 15 years.
      He joined the broadcaster in 2008 after a 22-year management career, but announced his departure on air after Liverpool’s 4-3 win over Tottenham last month.
      He gained a reputation as a straight-talking pundit, who often clashed with fellow studio guests, and admitted he “owes a hundred apologies”.
      We pay for your stories and videos! Do you have a story or video for The Scottish Sun? Email us at scoop@thesun.co.uk or call 0141 420 5200 More

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      in Boxing

      Boxer suffers ‘mild stroke’ and has to have blood clot removed from brain weeks after losing to Brit Lawrence Okolie

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      CRUISERWEIGHT boxer David Light has reportedly suffered a “mild stroke”, just weeks after his fight against British world champion Lawrence Okolie.New Zealander Light, 31, came up short in his WBO title attempt in Manchester on March 25 as Okolie clinched a unanimous decision victory.
      David Light, right, lost to Lawrence Okolie in Manchester on March 25Credit: Richard Pelham / The Sun
      He became unwell after returning to New ZealandCredit: Richard Pelham / The Sun
      According to Peach Boxing, Light became unwell in the weeks after the bout.
      A first CT scan came back clear as the fighter was diagnosed with delayed concussion and discharged.
      But further symptoms led to him being admitted to Waitakere Hospital in Auckland on April 17 – where a second CT scan uncovered a blood clot.
      Surgery was then performed that evening after Light suffered a “mild stroke”.
      READ MORE IN SPORT
      Doctors expect the boxer to make a full recovery.
      A statement from Peach Boxing read: “New Zealand boxer David Light is in Auckland hospital receiving treatment after becoming unwell upon returning home to New Zealand following his bout against Lawrence Okolie for the WBO cruiserweight title in Manchester on March 25.
      “David reported no ill effects in the aftermath of the bout and returned home to New Zealand on April 1.
      “On April 5, David began feeling unwell and sought medical attention. He underwent a CT scan, which was clear. He was diagnosed with delayed concussion and discharged.
      Most read in Boxing
      “David continued to have symptoms and on April 17 he was admitted to Waitakere Hospital.
      “A second CT scan was also clear. David then received a contrast CT scan, which revealed a blood clot.
      “David underwent surgery that night for ‘clot retrieval’. He has been diagnosed as suffering a mild stroke – and is now recovering.
      “His doctors expect him to make a full recovery – however it will be some time before David is well enough to conduct media interviews.
      “David and his family have requested privacy at this time. Thank you for respecting those wishes.”
      Light’s trainer Isaac Peach has admitted it has been difficult to watch the fighter’s struggle, but insists he is on the road to recovery.
      Peach said: “It’s really hard for all of us to see him like that.
      “He’s a guy who is around every day and for something like this to happen is devastating for the gym.

      “I don’t have information of what’s happening in the hospital, all I know is David’s going really well. Each day I see him he’s getting better. He’s talking, he’s smiling, he’s laughing.”
      Light has a professional record of 20 wins and one defeat – with that lone loss coming at the hands of Okolie. More

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      in Soccer

      My son was an Arsenal academy star but now he’s severely disabled – I’m haunted by a regret that could’ve changed things

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      THE heartbroken mum of a tetraplegic ex-Arsenal academy star says she is haunted by one regret that could have changed things.Daniel Cain, 23, was a fit and healthy footballer until a night out with his friends took a devastating turn.
      Daniel was a fit and healthy footballer before he suffered life-changing injuries after allegedly having his drink spiked
      The now-23-year-old’s brain and spine were starved of oxygen and he spent 25 days in a comaCredit: Gofundme
      His mum Tracey has now revealed her one regretCredit: Gofundme
      The qualified electrician’s family claim his drink was spiked and despite medical professionals’ best efforts, he now requires 24-hour care.
      The horror for Daniel’s family unfolded during the depths of Covid lockdowns.
      His mum Tracey Cain told how she wasn’t allowed to be at her son’s bedside – and thinks should she have been able to, there could have been a different outcome.
      She told The Sun Online: “Sometimes I wonder if I was able to be by his side he would have been able to come round quicker.
      Read more on Football
      “His recovery peaked when I was in, with someone to be there for him in person, and I only wish that I could have been there from the beginning.
      “I believe being by his side and radiating that positive energy helped him.
      “It was so hard having to see my son through a screen.”
      It was June 9, 2020, when Daniel’s friends frantically called for an ambulance after noticing he looked a “funny colour” and was not responding.
      Most read in Football
      After working on the former Arsenal academy player for 24 minutes, paramedics finally got his heart beating again.
      But tragically his brain and spinal cord had been starved of oxygen.
      Doctors told the family to be prepared that even if Daniel did wake up he would be in a vegetative state.
      Then after 25 days in a coma he defied all odds and “woke up”.
      His cognitive function began to return, something mum Tracey describes as a “miracle”.
      However, she still wishes she could have been at his side.
      Tracey said: “I just knew he was in there. I knew all along, if anyone said he wouldn’t wake up I just said no.
      “Where there’s life there’s hope and we kept believing.
      “When I was able to see him when he came out of the coma he knew I was there, he stayed awake longer when I was there.”
      Tracey thanked friends, family and strangers who sent well wishes for Daniel.
      She continued: “All around the world there were people praying and sending out healing thoughts.
      ‘YOU’VE GOT THIS’
      “His father’s family are from Barbados and they were doing prayers which helped.
      “All that positive energy and focusing on good things helped me keep that faith.
      “Daniel didn’t know he was supposed to wake up but he did and I knew it all along.”
      Tracey said she set up a phone for Daniel that his friends and family could send messages on.
      She would play the recorded voice notes to him over Skype while he was in a coma.
      She said: “He’s always had good links with all his friends growing up, we were inundated with messages from people he played football with and people he grew up with.
      “It was so moving and heart-warming for everyone to come together for him.
      “He had a phone with him which was locked so we couldn’t see messages on there.
      “I had a spare phone which I used and asked people to contact that phone to call and text so he could listen to voicemail or the nurses could read out the texts.
      “We were telling him: ‘you’ve got this you can wake up’.”
      ‘TAKE EVERY DAY AS IT COMES’
      And Tracey believes that Daniel pulled through because of this.
      The mum said that her son heard his family and friends “in his dreams” while in the coma.
      She said: “We had to Skype him and I believe he was hearing that and fighting through as well.
      “We were talking about different things while he was not awake and when he woke up he recounted things that we talked about, it was astonishing.
      “When he woke up he said he had a dream of Barbados on holiday with everyone there and that’s what we had been talking about going on holiday together, it was amazing he remembered.”
      As for Daniel’s improved recovery Tracey said they were taking it slow and steady.
      She said: “Now we are just trying to go a bit further every day but not rush things.

      “We are going to take every day as it comes as a blessing.”  
      Daniel’s family are now raising money for his ongoing treatment through GoFundMe.
      Daniel now needs around-the-clock careCredit: Gofundme
      His family is now raising money for treatment in order to give him the best chance of being able to stand and walk againCredit: Gofundme More

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      in Soccer

      I couldn’t sleep and suddenly lost weight, says Premier League ace David Brooks, 25, as he opens up about cancer battle

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      PREMIER League ace David Brooks has told how he learned he had cancer — but has now given it the boot.The Bournemouth star, 25, was diagnosed with stage 2 Hodgkin lymphoma in late 2021, weeks after scoring for Wales against Croatia.
      Bournemouth ace David Brooks said: ‘I explained to the doctor I’d been struggling to sleep and had some night sweats as well as a sudden drop in weight.’Credit: PA
      Now he is back on the pitch — and supporting Race for Life fundraisers.
      Brooks, from Warrington, Cheshire, recalled: “I went away with Wales and they do a medical check at the start of international duty.
      “I explained to the doctor I’d been struggling to sleep and had some night sweats as well as a sudden drop in weight.
      “Twenty minutes later he came to my room and said, ‘I don’t want to alarm you but everything you have described to me is a symptom of cancer’.
      READ MORE ON DAVID BROOKS’ CANCER BATTLE
      “It was a big one to try to digest and knowing you had to ring your mum and dad and tell them something so big when you still didn’t know for sure yourself, meant it was a very tough couple of hours.
      “The worst pops into your head.”
      The Cherries’ midfielder spent 18-months going through intensive treatment after his stage 2 Hodgkin lymphoma diagnosis in October 2021.
      Brooks added: “To be able to play football again is a real blessing and I hope people will take part in Race for Life to support the kind of research that helped to get me back on the pitch.”
      Most read in Football
      Race for Life, organised by Cancer Research UK, will be holding events across the UK on May 14. More

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      in Soccer

      EFL star forced to retire aged 26 due to cancer battle as he writes emotional letter to fans

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      BRISTOL ROVERS defender Nick Anderton has been forced to retire at the age of 26 amid his battle with cancer.The ex-Preston, Blackpool and Carlisle man took to social media on Friday to confirm the news in an emotional post.
      Nick Anderton has announced his retirement from footballCredit: Rex
      It comes four months into his chemotherapy treatment for a rare form of bone cancer, osteosarcoma.
      He has been forced to hang up his boots due to an operation on his femur which required a “complete knee replacement”.
      Speaking the day before his 27th birthday, he said: “I’ve had six months to prepare some words for this moment and I still don’t know what to say.
      “It’s been extremely difficult to come to terms with but I’ve decided today is the day to announce at the age of 26 I have to retire from professional football.
      READ MORE IN FOOTBALL
      “This is due to an operation I had in October 2022 to remove a cancerous tumour from my right femur. This resulted in a complete knee replacement, and a further 12cm of my femur replaced.
      “There was optimism that I could return to playing after the initial planned operation/treatment but a scan five days prior revealed it would not be safe if they didn’t replace the full joint, therefore the operation changed.
      “Looking back on the last 10 years, I have nothing but fond memories.
      “To every club I’ve represented, thank you for the opportunity. To every manager and coach I’ve worked under, thank you for the time you’ve invested in me. To every player I’ve shared a dressing room with and every player I’ve competed against on the pitch, thank you. It’s been an absolute pleasure.
      Most read in Football
      “I want to say a massive thank you to every single person who sent messages, donated and said a prayer. Your kind words and support for my family throughout this journey has been incredible and we can’t thank you enough.
      “It’s given me even more motivation to continue fighting and to complete every single millilitre of chemotherapy that I need.
      “Thank you, Nick.”
      Anderton was diagnosed with the illness back in July after undergoing a scan on what he believed to be a leg injury.
      He made 245 senior appearances during his nine-year professional career.
      Last season, he played a crucial role in helping Bristol Rovers secure promotion to League One on the final day of the season.
      They did so in the most incredible fashion, beating Scunthorpe 7-0 to go up on goals scored.
      His No16 jersey is hung up in the Rovers dressing room before every match.
      And the club’s fans have been giving a round of applause in the 16th minute of their games.
      The Rovers squad shaved their heads in solidarity with Anderton in January.
      Read More on The Sun
      A fundraiser has also been set up for him which has raised £46,000 to date.
      And Rovers manager Joey Barton completed the Manchester Marathon last weekend following a promise he made to Anderton. More

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      in Boxing

      Iron-chinned Joe Joyce is his own worst enemy and should RETIRE before he suffers a life-changing injury

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      JOE JOYCE’S nearest and dearest should be eternally grateful the gruesome swelling beneath his eye meant his fight with Zhilei Zhang was halted before the halfway mark.For more than five rounds, Joyce’s head was unmercifully pounded with sickening force by his near-20-stone Chinese rival.
      Joe Joyce took a pasting in his Copper Box clash with Zhilei Zhang lastweekCredit: PA
      The Putney pounder was left with a horrific-looking eye injury after the fightCredit: PA
      Joyce should think long and hard about his career and the damage he may takeCredit: REUTERS
      Because of his courage, if Joe’s right eye had not been shut tight he would have continued to take a non-stop barrage of dangerous blows until the end of the 12th and final round.
      In Joyce’s 16-fight career, his teak-tough chin has been a source of wonderment – but it has probably been his own worst enemy.
      Fight folk have been in awe at the way Joe manages to soak up heavy punches like blotting paper absorbs ink — he has always seemed impervious to pain.
      He doesn’t help himself the way he walks forward in a straight line without seeming to think it is necessary to move his head.
      Zhang, like so many before him, found it impossible to miss, constantly catching him with his best shot — a heavy-handed southpaw left.
      I felt uneasy watching Joyce take such a battering and found myself wondering if, at 37, it would be wise to continue his ring career.
      There’s no doubt the punters love him because he gives them full value for their money — he never takes a backward step and always comes to fight.
      At his time of life, there’s not much chance of him changing his style.
      Most read in Boxing
      CASINO SPECIAL – BEST ONLINE CASINOS FOR 2023
      Which can only mean plenty more punishment lies ahead.
      On last Saturday night’s evidence, it’s highly unlikely Joe will ever become world heavyweight champ.
      It may sound harsh but because he is so easy to hit, Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury would simply use him for target practice.
      Yet despite my fears for his health, Joe has already committed himself to invoke the return fight clause in his contract and have another go at Zhang.
      The Juggernaut may have been severely damaged in a head-on crash but the repair job is already underway.
      Joe defiantly said: “Before you write me off I’m OK.
      “I’ve just got a bruised eye. I think I’m OK — as fights go I’m in good health.”
      Forget BS, be DAZzled
      Saudi Arabia are reportedly plotting a heavyweight tournament involving Tyson Fury and Oleksandr UsykCredit: Reuters
      It has been suggested Saudi Arabia is willing to spend £325million to stage a mammoth December double-header — Usyk against Fury and Deontay Wilder against Anthony Joshua.
      Where have we heard that before? We are led to believe negotiations will begin next week.
      But it didn’t take long for Fury to describe the grandiose plan as “absolute BS”.
      I will only believe it if contracts are signed.
      Forget the big boys. If fans want a mouth-watering treat they should tune in to DAZN in the early hours of Sunday to see the long-awaited clash between three-time world champ Gervonta Davis and Ryan Garcia in Las Vegas.
      Both American lightweights are unbeaten.

      Davis has won 26 of his 28 fights by KO and Garcia has blasted out 19 of his 23 opponents.
      This could be 2023’s Fight of the Year. More

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      in Athletics

      Olympic hero Dame Kelly Holmes, 52, gives shock health update saying she’s in ‘constant pain’

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      OLYMPIC champ Dame Kelly Holmes says symptoms of the perimenopause “are killing me”.The 52-year-old said she suffers constant pain, aches and night sweats.
      Dame Kelly Holmes has opened up on her struggles with perimenopause symptomsCredit: Getty
      Dame Kelly, who won two running golds at the 2004 Athens Games, added: “As much as I’m in denial, it has had an effect on my body.”
      She said her symptoms include “body aches, constant pain throughout the body, feeling lethargic”.
      Dame Kelly said it is tough “as someone who is in tune with their body”, adding: “I think I’m in denial of age completely.”
      Perimenopause is the transitional period before menopause as women’s hormone levels change, but before periods have stopped.
      READ MORE HEALTH NEWS
      It usually starts between 45 and 55, the NHS says.
      Dame Kelly exercises to cope but says sometimes she is “too knackered”.
      Mental health is less often discussed when it comes to perimenopause and menopause.
      But Dame Kelly, who has been open about her own past mental health struggles, said: “The one thing with the hormonal changes – and men get it as well at certain ages – hormonal changes in the body can really affect your mental health.
      Most read in Athletics
      “And I think women have to understand how so connected and interconnected your mental and physical health are, because if one is not in tune, the other one will be affected, whatever way around that is.
      “When you feel your body’s a mess, that’s going to affect your head.
      “But if you go into the gym or you go and do some exercises, at least you are doing it knowing that you’re benefiting yourself by doing it – even if those changes are still happening.” More

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      in Boxing

      Mike Tyson reveals he ‘felt himself dying’ as boxing legend opens up on his biggest health fear

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      MIKE TYSON has revealed that he “felt himself dying” after he had piled on the pounds following retirement.And the “Baddest Man on the Planet” has also shed light on his biggest health fear.
      Mike Tyson, pictured in 2008, piled on the pounds after retiring from boxingCredit: Getty
      The now shredded legend has revealed how he felt like he was dyingCredit: Getty
      Tyson took the boxing world by storm in the 1980s with his explosive style and lethal power earning him the nickname “Iron Mike”.
      He still holds the record as the youngest world boxing champion, having won his title at the age of 20.
      The American became WBC world champion in 1986 and soon added the WBA and IBF titles to his WBC crown, making him the undisputed champion of the world.
      In 1990, he suffered his first defeat when he lost to James “Buster” Douglas in Tokyo and then his boxing career was put on hold in 1991 when he was sentenced to six years in prison for a sexual assault.
      READ MORE ON MIKE TYSON
      When he returned to the ring in 1996 he won the WBC and WBA titles with wins over Frank Bruno and Bruce Seldon.
      The two-time heavyweight champion lost successive fights to Evander Holyfield in 1996 and 1997 before a crushing defeat to Lennox Lewis in 2002.
      Two further back-to-back defeats against Danny Williams and Kevin McBride led to Mike Tyson calling time on his boxing career in 2005 with a record of 50 wins and 6 losses, with 44 of these victories coming by knockout.
      He went on to star in Hollywood films The Hangover and The Hangover Part 2, starring alongside Bradley Cooper and Zach Galifianakis but during that time away from the ring he piled on the pounds and says he was at the 400lb mark.
      Most read in Boxing
      CASINO SPECIAL – BEST ONLINE CASINOS FOR 2023
      And during his latest episode of Hotboxin with Mike Tyson podcast he opened up about the time he was obese.
      He said: “I felt myself dying. You know I know what it’s like. I’ve been 400 pounds before.
      “I had family members that died of obesity and stuff like that.
      “I’m scared of that stuff, I stopped eating, I’m scared, I saw what people in my family went through. That’s my biggest fear. Obesity.”
      Tyson, who made a stunning return and got in incredible shape for an exhibition bout with Roy Jones Jr in 2020, also recently open up about death.
      He said: “We are all going to die, one day, of course. When I look in the mirror, I see those little spots on my face. And say wow that my expiration date is coming close really soon.”
      Iron Mike is now back in incredible shapeCredit: Instagram More