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Saturday 6th June Paul Tonge Day at the Club
Fun for all the family
12pm Start
Colts vs Seniors Fun Rounders (as we cannot play contact)
2.00pm Jess Tonge XV vs Chairman’s XV
Raffle
Paul Tonge Barrels
More details to follow
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Update 18/03/09
To the members of Bolton Rugby Club:
Helen, Jess, Steven and Clare Tonge would like to say a heartfelt thank you to you for all your efforts to raise more money for the Malignant Melanoma Research Fund - Factor 50 at The Christie Hospital in memory of Paul. What you are doing means a great deal to us because it emphasises what Paul meant to you and that comforts us and helps us to try to cope with our tremendous loss. Your generousity is truly overwhelming and our hope is that one day there will be a breakthrough to find a cure for the disease that claimed Paul's life. Paul was a remarkable son and brother and he had such strength of spirit and courage when facing a disease that he knew would probably end his life - a life that he loved. Rugby and Bolton Rugby Club were a major part of his life. So thank you so much for all your efforts and we want you to know that we give you our wholehearted support and that we are forever in your debt.
Should any of you have any memories or thoughts about Paul that you would like to share with us, we would be very grateful. You can e-mail them to us to:
helentonge2002@yahoo.co.uk Also, if anyone has any photographs of Paul playing rugby, team photos or any others, we would love to have copies made. So could you either e-mail, text or phone us on 07815 897494.
When we call in at the club, please make yourselves known to us if we don't know you already because we would like to be able to put faces to names.
Thank you, once again, for all your support,
The Tonge Family
His mum Helen, aged 59, of Rushford Grove, Astley Bridge, said: “We all told him we loved him before he passed away.
“We are all so proud of him. He was a bright spark and even when his condition deteriorated so much in the last few weeks he told us he loved his life.”
Sports fanatic Mr Tonge, a former pupil of St Paul’s CE Primary School in Astley Bridge, and Canon Slade School, at Bradshaw Brow, developed malignant melanoma at the age of 13, and had a mole removed. He was given the all-clear when he was in his late teens.
But early last year, Mr Tonge, a duty manager at Halfords in Manchester Road, Bolton, discovered a lump under his arm and despite intensive radiotherapy the cancer spread.
In May he was given the devastating news that the cancer was no longer treatable.
Consultants at The Christie Hospital said they would look at using other treatments not generally available, but his condition deteriorated before they were able to do so.
Since Mr Tonge’s death, scores of moving tributes have been left on the popular social networking site Facebook.
His sister Clare, aged 23, and his girlfriend Jennifer Childs, also aged 23, have set up the “In loving memory of Paul Tonge” group.
His former teachers have also been in touch with the family.
Mrs Tonge said: “So many people did not even know Paul was ill, but that was just him. He did not feel sorry for himself and continued to live life to the full.
“He was a caring, thoughtful person who once known was never forgotten. When Halfords celebrated their 100th anniversary, he was nominated as one of the company’s 100 heroes in recognition of his spirit in battling his cancer.
“He never once said ‘why me?’. He had achieved so much, he had gone to university and bought a house and was just looking forward to getting better.”
Mr Tonge continued to work as he was undergoing radiotherapy. And in July, just two days into a new course of treatment, he announced he wanted to go on holiday. The family, including his brother Steven, aged 28, went to St Ives in Cornwall.
His dad, Jess, aged 60 who also played for the rugby Club, added: “He enjoyed the holiday and despite having a drain to remove the fluid in his body he got into a wetsuit.
“Only a few weeks ago we went to see the Sale Sharks rugby union team play. Despite the deterioration in his condition, he would continue to do and enjoy as much as he could.”
Clare added: “He was an inspiration to me and everyone who knew him.”
Donations were made to Factor 50 which is a registered charity set up in late 2007 in order to raise funds for the research of malignant melanoma which claims approximately 2500 lives each year in this country.
RFU.com 
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