Former Rochdale star Joe Thompson to walk 21-miles for dream of wellness centre

• Former footballer Joe Thompson sat down with ITV Granada Sports correspondent Mike Hall to talk about latest challenge and his big dream.

Former footballer Joe Thompson is embarking on a 21-mile journey to raise awareness after being diagnosed with cancer for the third time.

The 35-year-old revealed in April he has been diagnosed with Stage 4 Hodgkin's Lymphoma again.

Never one to be downbeat, the former Rochdale FC midfielder has decided to do a charity walk in October.

'Walk With Me For JT' will start on 12 October at Old Trafford, the home of Manchester United, which is where Joe started his career with their academy.

It will then stop off along the way at Salford City, Manchester City, Oldham Athletic before finishing at Rochdale FC, where he hung up his boots.

Joe is being joined by a number of his friends and former teammates including former Manchester City stars Joleon Lescott, Stephen Ireland and Nedum Onuoha, as well as former Liverpool goalkeeper Chris Kirkland and former Manchester United forward Fraizer Campbell.

But Joe is asking anyone and everyone to get involved, he said a team of six is best, as you can have friends to support you along your journey.

He said: "We say try and get yourself in a team of six, so you've got some companions and a little bit of camaraderie as you go along the walk but I'm sure we'll have that spirit throughout.

"I really encourage as many people as possible to come and the more the merrier."

In May, Joe set up a charity football match to raise money for his cancer treatment.

Just moments before he arrived at the stadium, he had been getting treatment for his illness.

The former Rochdale star said his walk was born out of a conversation with his good friend and former Liverpool player Stephen Darby who has Motor Neurone Disease.

He said he always thinks about Stephen and how he can be so positive despite what he is going through, so Joe thought he must complete this challenge.

Joe said: "The walk was born out of a conversation with my good friend Stephen Darby, who suffers from Motor Neurone Disease.

"I often hear who motivates the motivator and it's people like Stephen Darby that inspire me.

"I wake up most mornings and he's one of the first people I think about because when you're living with that disease, I'm like wow!

"How do you get up every morning and have a smile on your face, know that what could possibly be on the horizon.

"So, when he came with the challenge, I was like, yeah I've got to do it and I've spoken about it in length, in regards to I'm going to be at the start line and I've got to make sure I'm going to be at the finish line.

"I know it is through the support of others and the spirit of Stephen Darby, that I'll make sure it happens."

Joe has set up a donation page for people to support his walk and his dream of setting up a wellness centre.

He said his long-term vision is to encourage the learnings from his hardships and to share that with the wider public to educate and help them with their health and wellness.

Joe said he has been scoping around Greater Manchester for a location for his dream but knows it'll come and says the future is exciting.

He said: "I've got a long-term vision and it is way beyond me. I always believe that you should be the change that you wish to see.

"For me it is a wellness centre and I envision the wellness centre and that is the long-term goal to be able to incorporate and bring some of the learning through the hardships that I've been through and to open that up to the wider public and use that as a place to educate people in around their health and wellness."

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