A Devastating Diagnosis Becomes a Call to Action

Stephen Prescott made his mark as one of the great Rugby players of the 1990’s. He was beloved by team members and fans alike and well-known for his positive attitude and sportsmanship both on and off the field. His popularity extended beyond the confines of Rugby enthusiasts, as was seen by the vast outpouring of love and support when Prescott was diagnosed with terminal cancer at the young age of 32. A specialist operation alleviated his condition, but did not fully eliminate the cancer. Prescott went on to found the Steve Prescott Foundation and devote the rest of his life to raising money for cancer research. Prescott’s battle with cancer ended with his death in 2013, but The Steve Prescott Foundation still continues philanthropic operation today, helped by its main sponsor, SolarKing.

A Rare Disease

Prescott’s second son Koby was born in 2006. The same week, the ex-Rugby player found out he had Pseudomyxoma Peritonei (PMP), a rare form of stomach cancer. PMP tumours are slow growing and typically develop from a polyp on the appendix that may have been unknowingly present for quite some time. Patients are non-symptomatic for years, but the cancerous cells will eventually infiltrate the lining of the abdominal wall, causing fluid accumulation and stomach pain. At the time of his diagnosis, Prescott was given only months to live.

There are only 2 surgical centres in the UK capable of operating on PMP tumours. Prescott had an emergency operation in Basingstoke before receiving further chemotherapy treatment at Christie Hospital in Manchester. Doctors were successful at putting the cancer into temporary remission, but the tumour was expected to regrow.



Helping Others

Prescott’s treatment was funded in part through charity efforts from his former colleagues. At the 2006 Grand Final, the entire Hull team walked on to the field wearing special warmup jerseys that displayed Prescott’s name in large letters. The jerseys were later auctioned to the general public and the money went to assist the Prescott family. But Prescott wasn’t ready to spend the little time he had left enjoying the proceeds of his own popularity. He turned the fundraising appeal of his name and story into a way of achieving more for other people by setting up the Steve Prescott Foundation in 2007. The main recipients of the foundation are the Rugby Football League’s benevolent fund which helps support Rugby players battling serious injury and Christie Hospital in Manchester, one of Europe’s most advanced centres for cancer treatment serving more than 40,000 patients every year.

Legacy

Throughout the remainder of his life, Prescott led the foundation as a public speaker and by participating in active fundraising challenges. In 2008, he ran the London Marathon with a time of 4:32, in spite of regular chemotherapy treatments throughout training. He also completed several cycling challenges and achieved the Three Peaks Challenge as a foundation event. Prescott was awarded an MBE in 2010 for his life achievements in rugby and charity. By the time he passed away in 2013, his foundation had raised approximately £500,000 in charity donations.

Stephen Prescott’s name has not been forgotten by the sport he loved. Since 2014, Prescott’s teams, St. Helens and Hull, have competed yearly for the Steve Prescott cup in his honour. That same year the Rugby Football League renamed its strongest player award the ‘Steve Prescott Man of Steel’. Meanwhile, the Steve Prescott Foundation continues to earn money in his name and support people who are unfortunately faced with the same tragic illness.

Stephen Prescott – The Life and Career of a Fighter

When Stephen Prescott signed with the St. Helens Rugby League as a young player, it was thought he was too small to have a successful career. Yet he battled his way from the Reserves to become a winger on the Fist Team and eventually excelled as a full-back, one of the most crucial attack positions on the team. Prescott signed professionally with the St. Helen Saints in 1992, and went on to become one of the club’s strongest players. Throughout his career with the Saints and later the Hull team, Prescott’s no-nonsense determination earned him respect with fans and other team-members alike.

Stephen Prescott took a similar attitude to his unexpected cancer diagnosis at the age of 32. Many might have fallen into depression facing terminal illness at such a young age, but Prescott responded by founding the Steve Prescott Foundation as a way to help others faced with the same condition. Since Prescott’s untimely death in 2013, the foundation has continued to raise money thanks to countless donations from many, including the charity’s main sponsor, SolarKing.  

Early Years

Stephen Prescott was born with considerable athletic talent. His father, Eric Prescott, also played rugby professionally with the St. Helens League, amongst other teams. As a teenager, the young Prescott played both football and rugby, sometimes splitting his weekends between matches for both sports. However, it was his fiercely competitive spirit that allowed him to fight his way to the top of Britain’s toughest sport, rather than any direct physical prowess. Prescott welcomed challenge with open arms and turned any set-backs into initiative to work harder.


Embed This Graphic On Your Site: <img src=" https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/8c/a6/4e/8ca64ea6e83e59975347208dbb8e44ae.jpg" width='540'><br /><a href=' http://solarkinguk.blogspot.com/2016/10/stephen-prescott-life-and-career-of.html’><br /></a></p> <br /> <p> The Steve Prescott Foundation [Infographic]</a></p> <br /> <p> </a>

Professional Career

Like any professional athlete, Prescott faced ups and downs over the course of his career. The 1996 season with the St. Helen Saints marked Prescott’s international debut and was a tremendous success overall. Prescott’s brilliant strategy at the Wembley Challenge Cup final helped the Saints earn the winning title for the first time in 20 years. Unfortunately, 1997 did not go as well as the previous year. Prescott suffered an injury and was transferred to the Hull Sharks at the end of the season.

Prescott took the change in his stride and went on to achieve similar success at his new home. By the end of the first season he’d become an audience favourite in Hull, as well as the teams go-to goal-kicker. Prescott was transferred several more times due to the league’s financial difficulties but ended up finishing his career with the Hull team. An injury forced his retirement in 2003.



Teaching and Beyond

Even though his professional career had finished, Prescott stayed in Hull to teach and coach the Rugby team at the local community college. Ever the sportsman, he joined the Hull Ionians Rugby Union Club and continued to enjoy playing the sport he loved, as an amateur. He was able to spend more time with his wife Linzi and his first son, Taylor. However, just after the birth of his second son, Koby, Prescott’s life was again disrupted, this time by a terminal cancer diagnosis.

Learn more about Prescott’s illness and philanthropic work in the next post.