Tears as team rallies around cancer victim We did it all for sue

Andrew Mathieson
A CANCER battler in remission has inspired her local football team after struggling from a hospital bed to watch the players win from the sidelines.
Anakie Football Club’s seniors were fighting to withstand a Bell Post Hill last-quarter onslaught on the back of a strong breeze last weekend but held on for a memorable two-point victory.
Moments after Saturday’s thrilling match, the Roos players gathered around lifetime supporter Sue Henry as she languished in her car to belt out a rousing rendition of the club’s theme song.
Ms Henry said teasr ran down her face as the players, all with her name written on their hands, sung It’s A Grand Old Flag.
“I wish they did that every week,” she said after returning to hospital this week.
“But when they did it in my honour, knowing what my kids and I were going through, it was just unbelievable.”
Confined to the inside of a car, Ms Henry struggled out to embrace all the players in the middle of their team circle during the song as emotions overflowed.
She gave a special hug to senior coach Gavin Habib, who was behind his players writing her name on their hands as a reminder of her real-life battle.
Ms Henry said she sent texts messages to Mr Habib every week to update him on her condition.
Ms Henry “cut a deal” with doctors at the hospital to attend the match.
“They were happy to do that and the guys were able to hang on,” she said.
Still weak from a bone marrow transplant a week ago, Ms Henry went into remission after cancer came back in her left shoulder.
She has spent the past 18 months in and out of the hospital’s Andrew Love Cancer Centre during constant chemotherapy treatment.
“I’m fighting the biggest battle I can,” she said.
“Most cancer patients would know what I’m feeling at the moment.
“Then again, we all have fights for whatever reason.”
Anakie president Wayne Moore said seeing a stoic Ms Henry at the game motivated the players to keep their finals’ dreams alive.
A loss would have had Anakie two wins outside the top five and could have spelt the end of its season.
“She’s just a fighter – she won’t give up,” Mr Moore said.
“Well, we’ve got a lot of injuries. “We’ve lost a lot of players throughout the year for the rest of the season.
“Everything seems against us but the players are finding every bit of inspiration that they can, like Sue.”