Today Welford Victoria FC celebrated the life of Jo Sutton-Larsen, who sadly died recently following a lengthy battle with a very aggressive form of breast cancer. Jo founded and captained a Welford ladies team that played in the league for about 5-6 years and maintained links with the club in a number of ways.
Following her diagnosis in September 2015, she and her husband Jonny began raising funds for Hope Against Cancer, which supports research into this awful disease in the Leicestershire and Rutland area. They started with a goal of £10,000 but have currently raised more than £31,000. Over the years, we are proud to have contributed a small amount to this through our calendars and fun-days. It is no understatement to say that we were (and remain) utterly inspired by Jo.
WVFC was represented at her funeral today by club Chairman Barrie Dowsett, who had the privilege of knowing Jo for about 5 years, and Vice Chair Joanna Foster who was her neighbour for three years. They are united in considering her a truly wonderful person to have met – “always smiling, always helping, always positive. A truly remarkable, selfless and incredible woman”.
Our sadness at her death obviously pales into insignificance when compared with the sadness her closest friends and family must feel; and we all send our deepest condolences. But our happiness at having known her will remain. She may have died with cancer, but none of us here thinks for one minute that cancer “beat” her.
Further reading
Jo’s story was the inspiration behind our charity calendars – https://harboroughfm.co.uk/footballers-strip-off-for-charity-calendar/
And it made the national press https://www.thesun.co.uk/living/3079631/terminal-cancer-sufferer-epic-bucket-list-marry-fiance/
