Rugby stars pay surprise visit to St Ann’s Hospice patient

Sale Sharks and England internationals Tom and Ben Curry visited the hospice on Saturday

By Cathal Doherty on October 22, 2024

Tom and Ben Curry

Sale Sharks and England International duo Ben and Tom Curry took time away from the pitch to pay a visit to an inpatient at St Ann’s Hospice.

The rugby twins paid a surprise visit to Charles McNamara, who is a former chairman of Wythenshawe Community Rugby Club.

Charles was diagnosed with a form of Pulmonary Fibrosis over five years ago and has been an inpatient at St Ann’s for the past number of weeks.

Pulmonary Fibrosis isn’t just one disease, it is a family of over 200 diseases. Pulmonary Fibrosis is a process that causes lung scarring, which can block the movement of oxygen in and out of the lungs. It is a life-shortening disease

Charles said meeting Ben and Tom was a lovely surprise which left him “smiling all day”.

I have season tickets for the Sale Sharks games, I was delighted with the visit, it meant a lot to me to see the two boys Charles McNamara, Patient at St Ann's Hospice

Unfortunately, due to his condition, Charles has not been able to attend any of the Sale Sharks games this season, so receiving a visit from Tom and Ben was extra special.

Tom and Ben also presented Charles with a Sale Sharks jersey signed by the team during their visit.

Community Fundraiser at St Ann’s Hospice, Greg Kelly thanked Ben and Tom for their thoughtful visit.

“It’s fantastic to see two sports stars of Ben and Tom’s calibre visiting an inpatient at St Ann’s. These visits can make such a difference to the mood of our patients. The Curry brothers no doubt have a busy schedule, so for them to take time out of their day would mean so much to patients like Charles and their families,” Greg said.