Snooker star Kyren Wilson inspired by young cancer survivor in latest charity push

Four snooker stars are raising money for a children’s cancer charity, inspired by the story of a young survivor and are looking to set a world record in the process.

Former world champions Kyren Wilson and Stuart Bingham will be joined by Joe O’Connor and Louis Heathcote at an event this weekend in aid of Bemorefab.

The charity was created after Florrie Bark was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia at just six years old.

Chemotherapy was unsuccessful, meaning she needed to have a bone marrow transplant, although there was no guarantee this would save her life either.

Florrie had the transplant in 2002 at Sheffield Children’s Hospital and thankfully it did work, but she has continued to battle illness since and had a lung transplant this year.

Her dad Andy told The Mirror in August: ‘She’s doing so well, hitting all the milestones the doctors hope for.

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‘For the first time in years we’re actually able to think about the future.’

Now the Bemorefab charity states: ‘Our mission is to provide education, support, and awareness, ensuring that no child, family, or school has to navigate this journey alone.’

Kettering’s Wilson is close with the Bark family and is an ambassador for Bemorefab, saying Florrie is an inspiration to him on a daily basis.

The four snooker players will star at an exhibition in Corby on October 10 in a bid to raise as much money as possible for the charity.

‘I’m so proud to be associated with Florence her wonderful family and the awesome Bemorefab cancer charity!’ Wilson said.

‘Day in day out Florence inspires many of us taking on her daily life challenges with a smile and bundles of character, this exhibition will be the 3rd one we’ve hosted and we believe this will be the best one yet!

‘All proceeds go to the Bemorefab children’s cancer charity let’s raise as much money as possible and have a great night along the way!’

Wilson even partly credited a win at the World Championship this year to Florrie’s granddad being in the front row for his match at the Crucible.

‘There was a gentleman in the front row called John, whose granddaughter is Florence,’ the Warrior explained after his come-from-behind win over Stan Moody in April.

‘We are ambassadors for their charity – myself, my brother Taylor and wife Sophie – for the Bemorefab Children’s Cancer Charity. It’s an amazing charity. She’s an absolute inspiration. We feel very close to them.

‘He sat in the front row, cheering me on this whole time, and I’m just thinking: “What am I moaning about? It’s a cue, it’s a game of snooker.”

‘They have genuine life problems and they just gave me that little bit of fight. So it was nice to have them in the front row. It just gave me a lift. It was nice to have that little push.

‘I love following her journey because she’s an absolute inspiration and it definitely puts life into perspective.’

On the evening in Corby there will be exhibition frames, Q&A sessions and the four players will be looking to set a world record for scotch quadruple.

The four pros will be taking alternate shots looking to build as high a break as possible. What will they manage?