Footballer gives cancer teens chance to feel like rock stars

Ben Sigmund signs a soccer shirt for CanTeen members Kathy Lee (left), 16 and Hannah Josephson, 19. Photo / Martin Sykes

Like many professional sportsmen Ben Sigmund found himself with time on his hands. Rather than sit around surfing the internet, the Wellington Phoenix soccer player decided to do "something for nice people".

Yesterday that led to a special farewell for the All Whites as they embarked on a third Confederations Cup campaign.

With Sigmund and assistant coach Brian Turner leading the way, they arranged for 10 cancer sufferers under the CanTeen wing to be their special guests at a small farewell at Auckland Airport.

They put on a limousine, presented them all with a signed All Whites shirt and a soccer ball and hosted a function at McDonald's.

"My girlfriend lost her grandparents to cancer," said Sigmund. "I saw how it affected her and decided I just wanted to do something for the community. We took a group of CanTeen kids to Palmerston North for an outing. This just grew from that."

The group farewelled the 11 New Zealand-based All Whites, appreciating the interest shown in them.

"One of CanTeen's values is to 'Live Life', said marketing manager Brad Clark. "An opportunity like this is part of that. We have had good support through what Ben and the Phoenix have done in Wellington. Coming out here in the limo today, they felt like rock stars."

Clark said CanTeen supported 1300 people aged between 13 and 24 from 13 offices. It is a multimillion-dollar commitment for an organisation which has doubled its membership in the past three years.

"We are 21 this year and it is not surprising our membership is growing," said Clark. "Events like this make people aware of what we do."