Tim Southee auctions signed WTC jersey to raise funds for an 8-year-old battling cancer

In a great humanitarian gesture, Kiwi pacer Tim Southee has put his WTC final jersey, signed by the entire team, on TradeMe in an attempt to raise funds for an eight-year old Hollie Beattie, who’s fighting deadly cancer. Hollie was diagnosed with neuroblastoma, a rare and aggressive form of cancer in 2018 and her family has been struggling to meet the funds for her treatment.

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“My family first learned about Hollie’s story a couple of years ago through the cricket community and I have always been struck by the Beattie family’s perseverance, strength and positive attitude,” Southee said on the jersey’s auction page.

“Since hearing that Hollie required more treatment I have been trying to find a way to support in some small way."

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Southee played a crucial role in New Zealand’s triumph in the WTC final, picking up five wickets, including four in the second innings. Southee said he is hopeful that the auction will raise sufficient funds to meet the medical requirements of Hollie.

“I am hopeful that this shirt can help contribute in some way to the Beattie family’s ongoing medical needs as Hollie continues to fight. As a parent, my heart goes out to them as they battle on."

Hollie was on a cancer treatment trial in Barcelona. However, when cancer in her bone marrow relapsed, she was removed from the trial. Hollie is currently in Spain where several treatments are available in the form of immunotherapy for relapsed Neuroblastoma in bone marrow but the family is unable to bear the astronomical costs of the treatment and their stay in Spain. The new immunotherapy treatment will cost $300,000.

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This is not the first time any New Zealand cricketer has come to Hollie’s rescue. Earlier, Martin Guptill auctioned a special bat, which he used in a T20I against West Indies, to help Hollie.