Jermain Defoe has mentioned he still thinks about Bradley Lowery every day as he backed a brand new cancer charity fundraising marketing campaign.

The former Sunderland striker mentioned the six-year-old had been notably on his thoughts throughout lockdown as he opened up about their friendship, 4 years on from Bradley’s dying.

Bradley, from Blackhall Colliery, County Durham, captured hearts across the globe as he bravely battled neuroblastoma – a uncommon and aggressive type of childhood cancer which claimed his life in 2017.

Defoe shaped a particular reference to Bradley after he acted as a mascot on the Stadium of Light for his beloved Black Cats.

He has now backed Cancer Deadline Day – a marketing campaign which ran alongside soccer’s switch window and raised over £28,000 for eight charities.

Fans had been requested to donate on-line and “make a switch for cancer,” referencing their very own soccer membership as they did and serving to their crew climb up the donations ‘league desk.’

Defoe, who now performs for Rangers, talked on behalf of Cancer Deadline Day to BBC 5 Live’s, Tony Livesey, and mentioned of his experiences with cancer: “It’s nicely documented, my relationship with Bradley Lowery, dropping my dad, who had oesophagus cancer, so myself and my household have been by it loads.

“That’s why I’m totally behind Cancer Deadline Day, as a result of it is one thing that’s near my coronary heart.

“I bear in mind first assembly Bradley after I was at Sunderland. I knew I used to be assembly him however after I first noticed him, I did not assume it could possibly be him as he was so stuffed with vitality. But he ran over to me and I used to be like “wow” due to his vitality.

“That simply summed him as much as be trustworthy. Even by the troublesome instances and in direction of the top when he was actually struggling, he’d at all times smile – the nurses liked him. So, the primary time I met him I used to be simply so stunned by his vitality.”

He went on to say, “It’s 4 years since he died however there’s not a day that goes by when he’s not in my thoughts. Especially now with the lockdown. The time that you just get at dwelling whenever you sit and mirror about issues.

“Of course, I feel about Bradley. I still maintain involved with the household – I’m very near them.

“It was a very troublesome time for me, particularly when Bradley handed away it was actually troublesome as a result of I’d received used to strolling out with him at video games.

“When I received again into the England squad he got here out with me at Wembley and every Sunderland dwelling recreation I’d stroll out with him, so it was actually troublesome after he died.

“When I went to Bournemouth and I used to be strolling out at video games, it took a very long time for me to recover from (Bradley not being there). It was powerful.

“I used to talk to his mother and father on a regular basis. One day Gemma (Bradley’s mum) instructed me he was having a foul day: he was on the hospital, he did not wish to eat and he was actually depressing. He did not wish to converse to the nurses.

“But she instructed me that after I stroll right into a room his entire vibe modifications. He’s fully completely different. When she instructed me that, it was so onerous for me to imagine that.

“I could not perceive it, however it meant that every one I wished to do was to be there for him, to offer the household that help. If I used to be the person who may make him smile and, in direction of the top, be pleased, then I used to be more than pleased to spend as a lot time with him and the household as potential.”

He added: “For a younger baby like him to endure like he did in direction of the top, it was actually onerous to see. It’s troublesome, particularly when youngsters do not perceive what is going on on. To see somebody you care about endure, even in case you do not perceive it it’s a must to settle for it.

“But I’ve so many good recollections of Bradley: after I received again into the England squad, which was a particular second for me and my household, Bradley walked out with me.

“Moments like that I’ll always remember, the instances I spent with him within the field after video games, going to his home, his celebration; I’ve so many good recollections of Bradley and the household which I’m actually pleased about.

“I needed to be sturdy. It’s a troublesome sort of energy. It’s not like: ‘I’m a person, I’m a footballer, I’m Jermain; it was a distinct sort of energy as a result of it wasn’t about me. In these form of moments it is like nothing else issues. It did not matter who I used to be or what I’d achieved.

“All I used to be centered on was making an attempt to be there for him. Even at his celebration after I may see he was struggling, I felt blessed that I may go. And I’ll at all times maintain that with me. I simply needed to be sturdy.

“I’d pray and ask God to offer me the energy to be sturdy, as a result of there have been instances when I’d wish to break down. I bear in mind one time I used to be singing that nationwide anthem with Bradley earlier than an England recreation and I used to be welling up and thought ‘I’ve received to play a recreation quickly’. I wished that to be a contented second, so I needed to discover the energy and I by some means managed to try this.

“I at all times used to assume, with Bradley, my dad and my grandad, if he can show this energy to undergo what he’s going by, then I’ve to be sturdy. But it was troublesome. Everyone liked Bradley. He was at all times smiling. He used to salute to the cameras. It was good however it was actually powerful in direction of the top.”

Cancer Deadline Day raised much-needed funds for eight charities: Breast Cancer Now, CLIC Sargent, Macmillan Cancer Support, Pancreatic Cancer UK, Prostate Cancer UK, The Ruth Strauss Foundation, Teenage Cancer Trust and the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation.

The first ever Cancer Deadline Day ended on February 1 and raised over £28,000.

Millwall had been the winners of Cancer Deadline Day’s giving ‘league,’ after followers clubbed collectively to boost greater than £10,000.

Arsenal had been the highest Premier League membership, with Arsenal Ladies the very best of the WSL and Partick Thistle the very best in Scotland. Newcastle United completed in a really creditable fourth place.

Although the giving desk closed when the switch window shut in England at 11pm on deadline day, followers are still capable of make a donation by visiting www.cancerdeadlineday.org. Donations will be made till the top of Thursday 4th February, World Cancer Day.