Two hospital charities are joining together to remember a cancer sufferer.
Cammy Smith – a tireless supporter with his wife Stephanie of the Friends of Anchor charity – died at the weekend, aged 26.
The ARCHIE Foundation had been planning a big fundraiser at Pittodrie Stadium tomorrow.
But when the news broke on Sunday that Dons supporter Cammy, of Summerhill, Aberdeen, had lost his brave battle against leukaemia, it was decided that, as a tribute, its bucket collection at tomorrow’s football match between Aberdeen and Inverness Caledonian Thistle should go to the Friends of Anchor.
ARCHIE is now three weeks into its Beards for Bairns event, with hundreds of men in the north-east abandoning their razors and growing a beard for one month.
The effort is to raise money for sick children has been supported by players from the Dons and Caley Thistle and ARCHIE is hoping to break a record for having the most bearded men at a sporting event.
Although bucket collections at Pittodrie are booked months in advance, ARCHIE has offered the proceeds from tomorrow’s game to Friends of Anchor on behalf of Cammy’s family.
David Cunningham, chief executive of the ARCHIE Foundation, said: “The thoughts of everyone at the foundation are with Cammy’s family at this sad time. We would like to turn our pre-match bucket collection at the gate over to Friends of Anchor to raise money to fight this terrible disease in Cammy’s name.
“Our own volunteers will be joined by members of the Friends of Anchor team, and all the proceeds from this collection will go to them with our best wishes.”
Friends of Anchor chairman James Milne said he charity was astounded at the kind gesture from the ARCHIE Foundation.
A minute’s applause will also take place in the 26th minute of the match in tribute to Cammy.