Our Academy Celebration Day at the upcoming East Antrim derby will not only be celebrating the success of the many teams and players at our club, but it will also be raising vital funds for the Big C Foundation NI.
Founded back in 2021 in Larne itself, the charity was inspired by Callum Rennie, nicknamed Big C, after an inspiring battle against cancer.
Born on 8th April 2019, Callum was diagnosed with a rare ATRT brain tumour at just 4 weeks old. Thanks to the bravery of his neurosurgeon, Dr. Mano, surgery went ahead—giving Callum the chance to start treatment and fight with incredible strength.
Despite his young age, Callum took everything in his stride. He smiled through chemo, loved his bottle feeds, and adored being entertained by his big brother, Lewis. By his 1st birthday, Callum could sit unaided—an amazing achievement after all he’d been through.
In June 2022, a second tumour was discovered in his brain stem. After a difficult surgery and more chemo, Callum kept smiling. He pretended to be a dinosaur for the nurses and welcomed his new baby brother, Zack, with kisses and cuddles.
In March 2023, another tumour returned. This time, surgery and chemo were no longer options. The focus turned to comfort, joy, and memory-making. Callum and his family filled their time with love—short breaks, ice cream trips, and peaceful days together.
Now, in 2025, the Big C Foundation is working hard to continue raising funds to keep supporting families who are going through similar situations, dealing with a cancer diagnosis in a child within their family.
As such, at our East Antrim Derby against Carrick Rangers on Saturday 20th September, we will be donating the following to the Big C Foundation:
- All academy ticket proceeds
- 10% of the total ticket sales
- Bucket collection
We hope that you will join us for what will be a great day of football, entertainment and important fundraising for what is a worthwhile cause.
