Charity match in memory of young Derry man who died of malaria

A charity football match will be held in Derry this weekend in memory of a young man who died of malaria.

Christopher Gallagher died from the disease in Thailand while on a trip around the world.

The Shantallow man was only 23 years of age.

After Christopher’s death, his parents, Martin and Martin, set up the Christopher Gallagher Memorial Fund to raise money for the fight against malaria.

The charity has since worked closely with another Derry-based charity, Children in Crossfire, to fund a large number of projects in impoverished areas of the world.

Over 20,000 plus children have benefited from fundraising efforts and the continuing campaign means that more and more children will continue to receive the help they need. 

On Saturday, the Christopher Gallagher Memorial Fund is holding a charity match at the Leafair pitch at 2pm.

The match will be between Team Christy and a Derry City Legends team.

Special guest Mayor Brenda Stevenson will lead the teams on to the pitch.

Martin Gallagher said the Mayor has taken a great interest in the work of the Christopher Gallagher Memorial Fund.

“The Derry City Legends will be led by none other than Martin Mullan, himself a legend in the city.

“The aim of the match is to raise much needed funding for the fifth project and that is to stock up a clinic/education centre in Ethiopia and fund two nurses to run it.

“Team Christy is made up of an exceptional group of young men who were all of Christy’s friends and when it comes to events such as this they are there at the drop of a hat to help and support the fundraising efforts in Christy’s memory.

“Without their support and the support of the community it would not be possible to continue with events such as this and it give us as a family the motivation to continue with our campaign to put the excellent healthcare in place for those young children who have nothing in three projects run by Children in Crossfire in Tanzania, Ethiopia and The Gambia.”