A group of sporting enthusiasts have launched a fundraiser for Wolves football coach and player Vincent Minors who was diagnosed with colon cancer last month.

They have organised a golf tournament to help raise money to pay for Mr Minors’ medical expenses which will cover his recent stay at King Edward VII Memorial Hospital and surgery that removed a tumour.

The tournament, which was due to take place at Ocean View Golf Course in Devonshire this month but has been postponed because of Covid-19, also aims to raise awareness of colon cancer and encourage men to get screened.

While the tournament quickly became fully booked in support of the popular sportsman, members of the public can still donate funds to help out.

William Usher, a friend and sporting associate of Mr Minors who organised the event, said he plans for the tournament to become an annual event with future funds raised going to a cancer charity.

Mr Minors, who is also vice-president for the Wolves Sports Club, said he was overwhelmed with the kindness of the gesture as well as the response from his sporting friends.

He told The Royal Gazette: “It is amazing and a blessing in disguise. I wasn’t expecting it but they hit me up and put a tournament together.

“I was very appreciative and overwhelmed with how quickly it filled up which was another blessing. It’s nice to know your friends are out there. It is definitely going to be a big help to me.”

Mr Minors works in maintenance but has been out of work for about a month. He only has the basic HIP insurance plan and said that the funds would be a great help during what has been a difficult time for him financially.

A month ago, Mr Minors went to hospital complaining of painful swelling. He was placed on a course of antibiotics but when they failed to improve his condition Mr Minors underwent health checks and received the diagnosis of colon cancer.

On March 3, he received surgery to remove the cancer and he now has to attend hospital for regular check-ups.

Mr Minors, 41, said: “When the doctor told me I had cancer, I tried to not get overwhelmed. I said, this is what it is and I have to live with it. I had to be strong and putting my faith in the Father got me through.

“I also had to stay strong for my son Jasiri. They told me that my son would have to get a check-up at 30, 10 years earlier than normal, as they didn’t know how or why I got it so early.

“I want to put awareness out there about colon cancer. There is a stigma, especially among the younger generation, about when you turn 40 you have to get a check-up – a lot of males don’t want to get the check-up or even talk about it but we want to be advocates to change that.”

Mr Usher explained that a member of a golf group the pair are members of had approached him about raising funds for Mr Minors.

“The idea for the tournament was originally just to include that one group but I am in multiple sporting groups with him and I opened it up to all of them,” Mr Usher said.

“I knew there would be a big response based on his popularity. He is well known within the sports community, he played for Wolves for a while – he’s one of their best players, and he plays and a bunch of other sports.”

Speaking of future tournaments, Mr Usher added: “We hope to do it annually and make it even bigger. Because of Covid we are restricted in the number of teams we can have this time. It will continue to be a fundraiser but it would go to a charity like Bermuda Cancer and Health.

“It would be a part of the programme that we put out letting people know it is important that we get regular check-ups. If you are at the age for screening, 40 for men, make sure you get it. There’s nothing wrong with getting it earlier, especially men of colour as it seems they are more at risk get it.”

Mr Usher gained approval for a temporary fundraising license to run the event and raise money. Anyone wishing to make a donation or offer sponsorship can deposit funds via online banking into HSBC account 002-029-080-011.

Cash donations can be made if necessary and can be arranged by calling Mr Usher on 336-9455 or by e-mailing him at william.usher.jr@gmail.com

The temporary fundraising license number is T2110