ONE of Scottish football's most celebrated players is running in the Brentwood Half Marathon in memory of his daughter's best friend, who founded a charity raising money for young cancer sufferers before she herself died from the disease aged 14.
Former Scotland captain Christian Dailly will be taking part in the event on March 24 to raise money for the Havering and Brentwood Bereavement Service (HBBS), which played a significant role in helping his daughter Rosie recover from the grief of losing her best friend Georgia Cordery in May 2010.
The 39-year-old, who won 67 international caps, and who played for West Ham 158 times, said Georgia's death was a painful experience for his whole family, not least because he and wife Kirsty had to watch their eldest daughter lose a close friend at the age of just 15.
Thousands of pounds continue to be raised for Georgia's Teenage Cancer Appeal (GTCA), which was originally set up by the former Brentwood School pupil with the help of her friends and family, before she lost her battle with the rare form of cancer, rhabdomyosarcoma.
Both Kirsty and Rosie have been deeply involved in fundraising for the charity, and will be running for the appeal, which now totals almost £350,000.
Mr Dailly, who lives in Ingatestone, said: "Rosie and Georgia were inseparable.
"They were just best pals and they had their rows like any best mates but they were never apart.
"It was a heartbreaking situation to go through.
"It was an exceptionally difficult time.
"Only the people closest to Rosie knew the level to which Rosie was going through.
"She was with Georgia up to her dying hour.
"Before that she had been her best friend and her nurse and through all those things she barely batted an eyelid.
"She did things for Georgia that we didn't even know about.
"She had so much to deal with at the time."
After her death, HBBS came into Brentwood School, where the two girls had met at the age of 11, to offer support and counselling.
Mr Dailly, who retired from professional football in July 2012 to concentrate on studying for a sports science degree, added: "It was a terrible time but I always believe that through experiences like those people grow stronger.
"But you've got to have the right people around you and the right friends.
"That is why HBBS was so important – it made sure that whatever problems existed were dealt with properly."
While Rosie will be running the fun run for GTCA and wife Kirsty will be running the half marathon for GTCA in preparation for the London Marathon, Mr Dailly, who is now a sprint coach at Chelmsford Athletics Club, will be attempting a finish in under 90 minutes.
Together with athletics coach colleague Emma Prideaux, he will be using the 13-mile event partly as a warm-up for the London Marathon on Sunday, April 21, where they will attempt to finish in less than three hours – no small challenge for a man who admits he is conditioned more for sprinting.
Mr Dailly said: "We'll give it a good go and if we don't make, at least we've tried."
