For Goodness' Sake!

I have confessed many times to being one of life's cynics: I can't help it, I can smell bullshit a mile away!

Lots of people do lots of seemingly good things, and we all have our reasons to do something good. But are they good deeds if they are done because you are scared of a God or because you want a God to give you a better afterlife? Or are these deeds just a blind duty to a supernatural being?

I work within the charity sector and I hold my hands up straight away and say that if my peppercorn wage wasn't available to me I would go elsewhere. Not because I don't care about the people that I work with, I do, but I know that if I don't have a reason to go somewhere, I usually don't go. The charity sector relies heavily on volunteers. These people are usually caring and dedicated individuals -  of that there is no doubt - but they have their reasons to volunteer. Do they just do it because of a wish to change a life? I know lots of people will be very angry about this statement, but think about it. People volunteer because they are bored, lonely or just to occupy their minds. The fact that they volunteer is to be admired because while most people donate some money to alleviate their conscience, these people actually do something. But there are usually other reasons to volunteer.

I am in no way condemning the voluntary sector. Without these people most charities would fold. I'm just saying that there are usually other reasons why people do charity work.

But I have to take off my cynic's hat for a short while, to write about the story of a young boy who touched the hearts of millions, including mine.

Bradley Lowery was born six short years ago in County Durham. He was just another healthy bouncing little bundle of joy for his parents. By the time Bradley was eighteen months old he had contracted a rare form of cancer called, 'Neuroblastoma'. This horrible condition was to not only change the lives of Bradley and his family but also the whole of a town, Sunderland.

Bradley made people aware of his cancer, as it was scarcely known about by the public. He raised money for the charity and also £700,000 was raised to get him antibody treatment. People from all over the world sent him cards  - 250,000 in all. But his love was the game of football and his team was Sunderland.

His favourite player was the striker, Jermain Defoe, who became good friends with the young boy. This was no staged PR stunt by an overpaid footballer, this was a real friendship. Jermain would often call in on Bradley after he had been training, with no cameras to be seen, Bradley claimed that Jermain was his best friend and Jermain replied that Bradley was his best friend too. When Defoe signed for Bournemouth he drove back north to county Durham to see little Bradley, who always wore his football shirt with Defoe on his back and the striker's number. He even acted as a mascot for England and scored a goal before the game. We all hear about the negative aspects about feckless footballers and their ostentatious life styles, but how refreshing to hear about a wonderful guy who just gave his time and love to a young child that had such a difficult time.

It was announced that Bradley was getting weaker at the beginning of June this year and Jermain again turned up to little Bradley's bedside and laid and cuddled the little boy who in turn snuggled up to his hero. On the 7^th July little Bradley lost his fight against this insidious decease and died. The whole of the town of Sunderland mourned this brave little boy who had such a zest for life. The whole football team turned out for his funeral, along with past and present managers.

Thousands of people from Sunderland lined the streets as his little coffin was driven past and they both clapped and wept openly. Sunderland is usually known for negative aspects such as unemployment or the fact that they overwhelmingly voted for Brexit. Sunderland is usually held up as a town where obesity is rife, but now for me this is a town that can hold its head high. Men in football shirts stood with tears in their eyes proudly sending off one of their own, for no other reason than love, love for a little boy that they hardly knew. Bradley loved his super heroes such as Spiderman and the ninja turtles and Captain America. As his coffin slowly rolled through the streets, there, standing upright to attention in full costume were his heroes  - Spiderman and Captain America and even a ninja turtle all stood straight and proud, saluting his coffin.

And there, walking at the side at the side of the car carrying the coffin, was the little boy's best friend Jermain Defoe, who had flown back from training in Spain to be at the funeral. He walked with tears in his eyes and he wore an England shirt with the words Bradley Lowery and the number 6 on the back.

Sometimes we all do things because we love and care about others. I cannot imagine the pain the family of Bradley must be going through at this time but they must be proud of such a wonderful little boy. I know that they will be helped and loved by a whole community that cares. To Jermain Defoe I give my utmost respect. No doubt you will, like all of us, make mistakes, but when you were needed you stepped up to the mark and even walked over it.

Sunderland, I salute you!