Family and friends of a man who died of leukaemia had already decided to join Sir Ian Botham on his charity walk this weekend when they discovered that a loved one is suffering from lung cancer. Gavin Havery reports.

IT has not been an easy year for bank manager Claire Greener-Tobin.

She lost her beloved 35- year-old brother, Mike Greener, 35, from Chester-le- Street, in August to leukaemia. He was diagnosed last September after living in Toronto, Canada, for two years with his partner.

Mrs Greener-Tobin spent three months with him from May, and donated stem cells to him, but he died on August 25.

Despite her grief, the 38- year-old married her boyfriend, Clifford Tobin, last month and enjoyed a short honeymoon in Egypt.

They were due to go on the holiday of a lifetime to Australia later this year, but last week Mr Tobin, a 40-year-old butcher from Chester-le- Street, was told he was suffering from lung cancer.

Mrs Greener-Tobin said: “It has been awful for us, but has made us all the more determined to raise money to find a cure.”

Mrs Greener-Tobin, her mother, Wendy, and friend’s wife Vicky Spoors, are joining Sir Ian Botham on his walk to Chester-le-Street Cricket Club on Saturday.

The event is in aid of Leukaemia Research and it is the first year that the public have been able to walk with the sporting legend.

The women aim to raise £2,000 by taking part and holding a charity auction that evening.

Mrs Greener-Tobin, of Wynyard, Chester-le-Street, said: “Mike was a fun person and was very positive and was very keen to do charity work for research. He himself raised over £7,000 so he would be very proud of what we were doing. He was very passionate about finding a cure, particularly when it happened to him so quickly.”

The evening event is being held at Chester Town Football Club, Chester Moor, starting at 7.30pm.

Sir Ian has donated two signed cricket bats and Mrs Greener-Tobin has signed Manchester City and Sunderland strips to auction.

She said: “We are just a normal family and we have seen how devastating this disease can be. It can affect anyone at any time. Mike never had a day off sick, and he very quickly became ill.

“Cliff had no symptoms until he started having problems with his arm. When he went to the doctor, they did some tests and discovered he was suffering from lung cancer.

“There is money out there that can help, and we desperately want to help find a cure.”

Beefy's money by the mile

FORMER County Durham and England cricket legend Ian Botham has raised more than £10m with his charity walks.

Sir Ian, president of Leukaemia Research, is starting the final leg of his nationwide hike from Durham Market Place at 10am on Saturday.

After meeting Durham Mayor Grenville Holland, he will walk to Beamish Museum to meet members of the public who are supporting him.

They will then walk to the home of Durham County Cricket Club, the Riverside in Chester-le-Street, where they will meet cricketers who played alongside Sir Ian.

He said: “I’m delighted to hear the Greener family will be joining me.

“In 1985, when I first started walking to raise funds for Leukaemia Research, the survival rate for children with leukaemia was 20 per cent; now the survival rate is 85 per cent.

But why stop there?

“Support me on my 2008 walk and together we can beat blood cancer in my lifetime.”

People who want to join Sir Ian must pledge to raise £250 for Leukaemia Research and can call 020- 7685-5133 or email bothamwalk@lrf.org.uk to get involved.

Sir Ian added: “I know that, with the people of Durham supporting me, the walk will be a great success.