Everton welcomed Bradley Lowery’s family as Sunderland fans joined a touching tribute on his 15th birthday weekend
Everton showed real class in their treatment of the Bradley Lowery Foundation as the club welcomed members of Bradley’s family to Hill Dickinson Stadium for their final home game of the season against Sunderland.
The fixture took place on what would have been Bradley’s 15th birthday weekend and brought together two sets of supporters who have never forgotten the young Sunderland fan’s courage, personality and legacy. Everton and Sunderland fans marked the occasion with a banner in Bradley’s honour, which stretched from the upper tier of the North West corner down towards the lower section where the travelling supporters were based.
There was a deeply moving moment in the 15th minute as Sunderland and Everton supporters rose together to applaud Bradley Lowery on what would have been his 15th birthday. Both sets of fans then joined in singing “One Bradley Lowery”, with his mam, Gemma, visibly emotional as she wiped away a tear during the tribute. It was a powerful reminder of the bond Bradley created between the two clubs and the lasting legacy he continues to leave across football.
Bradley became an inspirational figure across football during his battle with stage four high-risk neuroblastoma, a rare and aggressive form of childhood cancer. His bond with Everton was forged in September 2016, when he was Sunderland’s mascot for the Premier League fixture between the two clubs at the Stadium of Light.
After that game, the late Everton chairman Bill Kenwright made a £200,000 donation towards Bradley’s treatment. The relationship between Bradley, his family and Everton grew even stronger when he was later carried onto the pitch at Goodison Park by Romelu Lukaku before the reverse fixture in January 2017.
Everton continued that support by inviting Bradley’s parents, Carl and Gemma, along with wider members of the family, as guests for the Sunderland game. The Bradley Lowery Foundation also provided mascots for Everton’s fixture with West Ham earlier in the season during Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. The foundation continues to support families fundraising for treatment and equipment that is not readily available through the NHS, while also funding research into neuroblastoma and other childhood cancers.
Gemma Lowery, Bradley’s mam and founder of the Bradley Lowery Foundation, said: “To be back at the stadium and to see both sets of fans coming together to remember Bradley on what would have been his 15th birthday weekend is incredibly emotional, but also a proud moment for us as a family.
“The two clubs have both been absolutely amazing. It’s precious to me because they were fantastic when Bradley was alive, but to continue that support and to help us to continue his legacy has been incredible. The awareness they have both raised has been really important. It gets people talking about childhood cancer and gets people wanting to do fundraising activities, which in turn, helps us to help other families.”
The matchday also highlighted the work of Children With Cancer UK’s ‘Too Big’ campaign. Before kick-off, 11-year-old Kaiden Edwards, who is living with medulloblastoma, walked out wearing an oversized shirt carrying the message ‘2 BIG’. The campaign aims to raise awareness of the fact many children with cancer still receive treatment plans and medicines designed for adult bodies, often causing serious and long-term side effects. It was a powerful occasion and another reminder of the connection Bradley built not only with Sunderland, but with Everton and the wider football community.
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