They have the responsibility of being role models for children and young people when they take to the pitch.
And now, players at Inverness Caledonian Thistle have stepped up to help save the lives of young children by become potential stem cell donors.
The team joined the Anthony Nolan stem cell donor register at Fort George yesterday, and encouraged other young men – most likely to be chosen to donate – to do the same.
The Anthony Nolan charity saves the lives of people with blood cancer.
Caley Thistle goalkeeper Mark Ridgers said: “Cancer is a terrible thing; I have lost a family friend through it as well so for me it’s something that I was always going to be interested in.
“We have a job where children look up to us. We are role models – they come and they pay their money to see us, they want to be like us, they want to go on and play professional football and we are fortunate to do that. To be able to at least give the opportunity to help if needed it’s a great thing to do and for the football club to be involved as well it’s a great occasion.”
Manager John Robertson added: “I lost both parents to cancer and I think everyone in the country has part of the family that has been touched by that unfortunately.
“A lot of the older guys have kids themselves and they understand that these things are horrible when it happens to a family and the fact that they may be able to help out somewhere down the line has shown that every single one of them wants to be part of this project and help in any way they can.
“There might be one lad in that dressing room that is able to help one child and if that’s the case then we owe it to ourselves and the children to try and help them. I am very proud of them.”
Amy Bartlett, Anthony Nolan Regional Register Development Manager for Scotland says: “We are delighted that Inverness Caledonian Thistle Football Club have been inspired to encourage people to sign up as donors. We particularly need young men to join the register as they are the most likely to be chosen to donate.”
