Sports people from across Somerset will be helping to to raise awareness and vital funding of local charity The Katherine Rutherford Sunshine Glioblastoma foundation.

Family and friends of the kind, caring and compassionate, Katherine Rutherford who sadly passed away in June 2022, have set up the Charity, named in her honour. Their aim is to focus on improving the life expectancy of people who have been diagnosed with Glioblastoma and aid the ongoing research into this appalling disease.

The Charity Match, which takes place at Yeovil Rugby Club on Friday, March 24, promises to be a celebration of women’s sports, and will provide a fantastic opportunity for local support, not just with those attending on the night.

The night will begin with Yeovil RC Women V a combined North Petherton RFC and Wiveliscombe RFC Women’s XV game, and will be preceded by a Tug-of-War Challenge between Katharine’s friends at Taunton Vale Hockey Club Over 35s and Yeovil RFC Women.

Taunton Vale players and supporters join the evening as Katharine (Coops) who played for the team since the age of 14, along with her sister Sarah, and later became Captain of the Club.

Filling the event with a variety of entertainments, the charity hopes to raise funds with the Charity Match, a Tug-of-war competition, an Auction and Raffle. Westfield school, with the help of PE teacher Gabby Nardiello, will bring along sports leaders to help officiate the game, and lend help where needed during the event. Marlie Packer, Jake Woolmore, Alun Donovan, Donna Creighton and a host of local businesses and local rugby club have donated prizes for the Charity Auction, including a signed England shirt, Tickets for a Bristol Bears game and a World Cup Rugby Ball.

Katharine, who died of the disease in July 2022, as a result of a glioblastoma brain tumour after just 74 days from diagnosis, left behind her husband and three children aged four ,six and eight at the time.

She was a Solicitor at Ashfords in Taunton and an outstanding sportswoman, captaining Taunton Vale Hockey Club after representing Somerset and the West of England at U18 level, Bath Buccaneers and Clifton-Robinson.

Her husband Charlie has shared a touching tribute to his wonderful wife, affectionately known to her friends and family as Coops, and also shares the aims for the charity. He said: "My ambition for the trust is simple. It’s to raise money in to the research of prolonging the life of somebody diagnosed with a grade 4 Glioblastoma. 

"To allow them and their loved ones the time to have that one last holiday of a lifetime, to make precious memories for those left behind. 

"My wife was an inspiration to all of us. She still and will forever shine bright in those that knew her. Coops was a no fuss, genuine, beautiful mother and wife. Her values were all about her children and our happiness as family. 

"She would want others to have as much time together as possible. She was diagnosed with this horrendous terminal illness and passed 3 months later. This is no time at all. She would want others to have more before they go. 

"This was her, and this is her now, encouraging us all to think about others. This charity is primarily about one day helping with the research of finding a cure, but in the short term it is about time, let’s raise as much as we can to make her smile down at us in helping others”.

Glioblastoma is a type of cancer that starts as a growth of cells in the brain or spinal cord which rapidly grows, more aggressive and faster than any other form of cancerous tumour, and accounts for 49.1 % of all brain tumours.

The tumour can invade and destroy healthy tissue, leaving sufferers with devastating symptoms, with patients losing the ability to speak, eat and even move. Glioblastoma is one of the most complex, deadly and treatment-resistant cancers. It is the most common primary brain tumor in adults, with around 2,500 cases diagnosed every year here in the UK, with all cases of the disease being classed as a stage 4 cancer and almost always fatal.

Life expectancy after diagnosis is 12-18 months, and distressingly only around 25% of patients will survive more than 12 months.

Brain tumours continue to kill more children and adults under the age of 40 than any other cancer. New data from the National Cancer Research Institute (NCRI) shows that brain tumour research still represents just 1% of the national spend on cancer despite its prevalence.

But despite daunting facts and figures, there is hope, as science rapidly advances and more promising research strategies are beginning to emerge.

Katharine also played cricket for Cardiff University and was an excellent all-round athlete. More importantly, Katharine was a most caring, wonderful wife, mother, daughter, and sister to Sarah and Gareth, and loyal friend to so many people across Somerset from Taunton to Crewkerne. She was loved by everybody who knew her.

The Mayor of Yeovil, Evie Potts-Jones, and the Yeovil Town Council have sponsored the match, and will be on the side-lines to cheer on the teams as they play in honour of the Charity. The Major, an old friend of Katherine’s will kick off the match, presenting the match ball to the team.

A spokesperson for the organisers said: "Yeovil Rugby club is tremendously honoured to have been asked to host the game and subsequent evening, in honour of Katherine of whom so many people knew and loved. The gesture also gives the club the opportunity to show appreciation and thankfulness to Katherine’s father, George Cooper.

"George, who has spent his life teaching and coaching within the community is a pillar of admiration for so many, and is one of those special people that would go that extra distance to empower the lives of others.

"The charity night also lays way to remember another one of the clubs own, who sadly lost his life in 1998, to a brain tumour, Darren (Doc) Davidge. After his passing the Davidge family created a memorial Rugby Ball Trophy, used for the Baggs tournament, an inter school competition, with the final held at the club every year. The club have Docs picture proudly displayed within the club house, which commemorates another wonderful person sadly lost to soon."

The Katherine Rutherford Sunshine Glioblastoma Foundation is working so hard to raise funding towards medical research, with the hope for the future, and aspirations to spread awareness of this destructive, lethal disease. Collective hope is that those diagnosed with Glioblastoma in the future can have an extended life expectancy.

Katharine’s family and friends would like to thank Yeovil RFC, Bea Chubb and the Yeovil RC Women’s section;  Claire Williams and North Petherton Women’s RFC; Rachel Sharland, Ruby Terry and Wiveliscombe RFC Women for organising tonight’s game. Thank you also to Vicky Knight from Taunton Vale HC. It is an immensely kind gesture and one which will never be forgotten.”

There will be an Auction and Raffle after the match.

·  Jake Woolmore (Bristol Bears and Yeovil College) is donation 2 Bristol tickets, a signed shirt and a Club Coaching session carried out by Jake and another Bristol player.

·  Bill (North Petherton RFC) and Dan Frost (North Petherton RFC and Exeter Chiefs) are donating a couple of Exeter Chiefs tickets.

·  Donna Creighton (UK Bob Skeleton and Yeovil College) is donating some UK kit.

·  Derek Smith (President of Yeovil RFC) is donating a signed England World Cup ball.

·  Kevin Moggridge , ex England U.20s Women’s Rugby Coach is donating a World Cup ball.

·  Alun Donovan (ex Swansea, Cardiff and Welsh International),  is donating two Wales tickets for a World Cup warm-up match in Cardiff in August.

·  Marlie Packer (ex Yeovil College, Yeovil RFC and England) is sending a signed England shirt.