Footballer for Man Utd honours ‘brave’ aunt with gruelling workout in Harrogate memorial fundraiser
A Man Utd star on a fundraising mission says she was inspired by the bravery of her late Harrogate aunty who was such a “fighter”.
Talented Manchester United midfielder and forward Leah Galton, who now lives in Harrogate, said her dearest wish was to raise enough to install a memorial bench in Harrogate, where her aunt Trish grew up.
The former Yorkshire nurse overcame leukaemia in the 1980s after receiving one of the region’s first bone marrow transplants and outlived all predictions before passing away earlier this year.
"My loving aunty Trish unfortunately passed away in May this year, ” said Leah.
"I used to bake scones with her regularly.
"She was a nurse for most of her life, then moved on to join the WI, raising money by making cards, doing fashion shows and knitting clothes.
"Aunty Trish was given one of the first-ever bone marrow transplants in Yorkshire in the 80s after being diagnosed with leukaemia, and the bone marrow itself was donated to her by my mum, her little sister.
"She was given a short life expectancy after this procedure but being the fighter she was, outlived this expectancy 40-plus years.
"I want to raise enough money to pay for a memorial bench in my home town of Harrogate, where my aunty grew up, so my mum has a place to visit where she has the fondest memories of her sister.
"It’s been a hard time for my family and I’d love to be able to fulfil this for them."
Leah Galton, 31, who has previously played for Bayern Munich in Germany and has represented England from under-15 to under-23 level, moved to live in Harrogate in 2024.
To honour her aunt’s memory, Leah has set up a fundraising page on GoFundMe.
The Manchester United W.F.C footballer tested her own fitness to the limit over a single day at the weekend, setting the goal of doing a 10km run, a 125m sled push, a 125m sled pull, 250m walking lunges, 250 wall balls and a whole host of other endurance elements.
“Aunty Trish never complained, was always so brave, and brought so much light despite her own battles,” Leah said.
“If she could push through what she did, I can push my body for her, too.”
The good news is Leah totally smashed it on Sunday and has now raised £2,481 for a memorial bench in Harrogate.
To donate, visit: https://www.gofundme.com/f/my-lovely-aunty-trish