A local para-athlete from Stockport has been selected for the British Para Ice Hockey squad ahead of the 2024 World Championships and is now in a race to raise enough funds to be able to make it to the tournament in Norway.
So, let’s see if we can help him and some other members of his team out, shall we?
Offerton native Dean Lahan plays for the Manchester Mayhem Para Ice Hockey team over in Altrincham but is also known across Greater Manchester and parts of the UK as the ‘Fingerless Magician’, having sadly lost many of his digits along with his right leg through meningitis as a toddler.
Having featured in multiple stories throughout his youth and become a familiar face online through his impressive card tricks, the SK-born magician and para-athlete has once again been selected by Great Britain for Pool B of the World Para Ice Hockey Championships — but there’s a lot more to it than that.
As is unfortunately the case for many people at this level of sport, especially amongst the para-athletic community, there just isn’t enough funding to pay for everyone’s flights, accommodation, insurance etc, so Dean, like many of his teammates, has had to set up a fundraiser to hopefully pay his way.
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Writing on his GoFundMe page, the 26-year-old wrote: “I have been selected to represent GB at the upcoming World Para Ice Hockey Pool B World Championships in Skien, Norway from 12-21 April 2024.
“During this tournament, we are competing against countries including Norway, Germany, Sweden, Kazakhstan and France. Our GB team is currently unfunded so all athletes including myself are responsible for self-funding their trip and associated expenses through either personal contributions or personal fundraising.”
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Explaining his target, Lahan goes on to explain that “the cost of the trip for me will be around £2000 (to cover accommodations/food/local transport in addition to my flights and associated travel insurance)” — a sizeable financial obstacle for anyone, let alone those who have to make concessions due to disability.
Speaking to The Manc, Dean explained that “one of the main challenges is gathering these funds; we compete against other countries which are fully funded and play ice hockey as their job, whereas us GB players have to work full-time jobs as well as play ice hockey and train in the gym often late at night.
“I like to keep busy and am always looking for ways to challenge myself, training daily in the gym around 5:30am and with the world championships coming up I am currently training twice a day — this means my magic has had to take a back seat and is often done at weekends, weddings or private parties.
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“I’ve been playing para ice hockey for coming up on nine years and still love the sport to this day, but there are around 30 in the men’s GB programme and of the 15 rostered for the competition roughly half are in need of funding.”
When asked why supporting events like this is so important, his response was as simple and inspiring: “Without the funding, a lot of athletes all over the country will be able to compete in a sport they love and it would be an absolute honour for any of us to play internationally for our country again.”
Having nearly amassed half of his £2k target already with just over a month until the World Championships start, Dean and others like Josh Davies, Damien Barker, Jodi Hill and fellow Mayhem player Mark Colquitt are hoping to raise enough money in time for everyone to travel.
The time, money and graft that all of these wonderful individuals put in outside of everyday life is truly inspiring and serves as a reminder that more funding is still needed across various sporting disciplines.
If you want to help do your bit, you can help donate to Dean’s fundraiser HERE and we wish the British Para Ice Hockey team all the best for this year’s tournament.
Featured Images — Dean Lahan (via GoFundMe) British Para Ice Hockey
Sport
A young cancer survivor is taking on the Great Manchester Run for the hospital that saved her life
Danny Jones
A former cancer patient from Manchester who was diagnosed at the age of just 17 is taking on this year’s Great Manchester Run on behalf of The Christie, the hospital she credits with helping save her life.
24-year-old Lea Abell from Failsworth is set to run the event for the first time on Sunday, 26 May to raise funds for The Christie Charity where she now works after completing her treatment.
Lea was sadly diagnosed with stage 3 Hodgkin lymphoma cancer back in March 2017 and had to undergo intense chemotherapy and radiotherapy treatment at The Christie’s TYA (Teenage and Young Adult) unit.
Thankfully, she showed plenty of Manc spirit even at such a young age and in September 2018, Lea was told her treatment had been successful and is now looking to dedicate her efforts this May to the local life-saving institution.
Lea (Credit: The Christie)Credit: The Manc Group)Thousands took on the Great Manchester Run in honour of the Christie in 2023 (Credit: The Christie/The Manc Group)
After so much support and care from The Christie during her time there, the youngster decided that she wanted to give back and be a part of it all herself, going on to become part of the foundation’s mass participation events team – hence where the Great Manchester Run comes in.
Speaking on the hospital and the ward she spent her time in, specifically, Lea said: “The TYA, where do start? They are absolutely amazing! Every single member of staff from Julie the receptionist to Hanna Simpson, the head nurse and all of the other doctors and nurses were incredible.
“They make you feel so at home, and they support you mentally and physically throughout your treatment – they are all so positive, so you don’t feel like you’re going there for cancer treatment. I really wouldn’t have got through it if it wasn’t for the people there, so I owe them everything!
“Hanna and Julie always went out of their way to check up on me and tried to make my days better in any way they could, and I’ll never forget that.” Having turned up with the events team to the Great Manchester Run last year and seeing what a “brilliant day” it was, she decided 2024 was her year.
She’s becoming the latest among the hordes who run on behalf of The Christie at events across the globe every year.
Having only recently started her running journey this year and with the popular running event just around the corner, it’ll be a massive achievement for the young survivor and her team at the charity, with plenty of people backing her and a simple aim in mind: raise as much money as possible.
Lea has only recently started her running journey this year, so to take on the Great Manchester Run will be a big achievement for her, but she has plenty of people in her corner.
She went on to add: “My immediate family includes my mum Nicola, my dad Gary, and my brother and sister Jake and Sophia who were all there for me during treatment, and they will be there on the day of the Great Manchester Run to cheer me on alongside my other family members and friends.”
You’re going to absolutely smash it, Lea, we know it.
As for the charity themselves, The Christie’s mass participation events development manager, Lindsey Farthing, added: “Lea is a valuable member of our team and we’re all really touched that she has chosen to run the Manchester 10K for our charity.
To have a member of staff in our team who has been treated at The Christie and wants to give something back to the organisation that saved her life is really special for us all. We couldn’t be prouder of her and we wish her all the very best.”
If you want to help do your bit, you can donate to Lea’s fundraiser HERE and be sure to turn up in your droves come race day to cheer her on along with the thousands of runners raising money for charity.
Club captain and ‘legend’ Paddy Madden bids fond farewell as he prepares to leave Stockport County
Danny Jones
Paddy Madden has said farewell to Stockport County after announcing that he will leave Edgeley Park this summer, bidding an emotional goodbye to his teammates and the adoring fans who have already as a “club legend”.
The Irishman joined County in March 2021 and won the National League title in his first full campaign with the club, going on to net a total of 65 goals in 155 appearances for the Hatters, including four hat-tricks in all competitions this season alone.
Scoring 17 times for County throughout their promotion-winning year, his second with the club in just three short seasons, not to mention grabbing six assists, he was without a doubt one of Dave Challinor‘s most crucial players and has been ever since he arrived in Stockport.
Jumping on social media after the club announced that their captain and fellow fan favourites Myles Hippolyte, Ryan Croasdale and several others will depart following their contracts expiring, Madden was full of nothing but positivity about his time in blue.
— Stockport (C)ounty (@StockportCounty) May 7, 2024
Madden writes: “Stockport County, thank you so much for an amazing three years, me and my family have loved every minute of it. Being your captain was an honour. To play a part in getting such a big club back in the EFL and then into League One has given me memories I will never forget.
“To my teammates I had the honour of sharing the pitch with, I couldn’t ask any more from all of you, you kept your standards high from day one and that kept us on track to reach our goals.
“To the coaching staff, thank you for pushing the squad every day and to the staff behind the scenes a big thank you for your hard work, it doesn’t go unnoticed.
“Last but not least, thank you to you County fans for the amazing support from the first day I arrived. I’m over the moon to see the club back in League One, you all deserve it so much for sticking with your club in the dark days. Up the County.” It’s no secret how much the fans are going to miss their captain either.
Paddy Madden will go down as *the* signing of the Mark Stott era.
Dropped down two leagues at the time, constantly set the tone, scored goals, worked unbelievably hard, understood the club, connected with the fans, and came in clutch at the biggest moments.
Paddy Madden made himself a County legend in just three years.
The worst decision Stockport County has made in recent times is letting go of club legend Paddy Madden, 10th all-time goal scorer. A leader who brings much more than just goals. His next club is getting a very good player. He He deserved whatever he asked for.#StockportCounty
The failure to extend his stay hasn’t gone down well with everyone.
Paddy Madden will always be a County legend but never appreciated how quickly he has got to his goal tally when compared to his Scunny and Fleetwood goals per game ratio @CountyPodcast@HattersMatterspic.twitter.com/Om3eWVMM19
As for the club themselves, despite attempting to sign a new deal for the 34-year-old – who now goes down as County’s 10th all-time leading goalscorer and is still the third most prolific in the history of the third division (114) – they said that “both parties could not come to a satisfactory agreement.”
Madden is now being linked with a move to Chesterfield FC who have just climbed out of the National League as County’s number nine did back in 2021 and would be set to join Will Grigg up front, who sits just four in front of him in all-time League One goals.
Reacting to his bittersweet departure, the Hatters added: “It’s not goodbye, it’s see you soon. The defining signing of the Mark Stott era, and forever a Stockport County legend. Thank you so much for everything, Starman.”
While the Hatters will no doubt miss out on his experience as they return to League One after 12 years away, they’re still in very good hands up front with top scorer Isaac ‘Tanto’ Olaofe managing 22 goals this season and they have plenty of strong candidates for a replacement captain too.