SNOOKER SHOCK
Rangers fan and snooker legend Willie Thorne, ‘unable to move arms and legs or feed himself due to sepsis’, says carer
by Joshua JonesSNOOKER legend and Rangers fan Willie Thorne is unable to move his arms or legs and cannot feed himself due to sepsis, his carer revealed.
The Leicester cueman was discharged from a hospital in Spain after a period of chemotherapy for leukaemia.
He underwent three blood transfusions and treatment for a virus after his diagnosis in March as well as MRI scans and heart checks following his admission to Torrevieja Hospital on May 2.
On top of that, the 66-year-old was also faced with both gout, which causes swelling and pain around the joints, and a water infection once treatment for the leukaemia began.
Thorne - who did a celebrity speaking tour with Ibrox legend Paul Gascoigne a few years back - returned to his rented home in Alicante but friend Julie O'Neill - who is looking after him - is baffled he was allowed to leave hospital as he is thought to have sepsis.
Sepsis is a life-threatening reaction to an infection which usually happens when the immune system overreacts and starts to damage tissues and organs.
O'Neill is now hoping lawyers are able to get access to Thorne's medical records as he remains bed ridden and unable to take phone calls.
She wrote online: “Willie has had next to no movement in his hands and arms so cannot answers calls.
“Hopefully I will have official answers and a more positive direction soon as Willie recovers.
"I am still trying to obtain medical information and turned to legal help as I’m not 100 per cent sure exactly what is going on right now.
“Willie came home from hospital on May 15 but I fail to understand why.
“He is unable to move his arms and legs - can’t feed himself or put a drink to his mouth and has a bedsore.
“As far as I understand from the translated discharge papers from the hospital he has a superinfection (sepsis) throughout his body.
“Tests are still needed to determine the cause.
“I have had to bring in a care company to help with the excessively increased care he now needs.
“I have also hired a legal representative to aid me in getting access to his medical records and to gain official answers as to what exactly is going on."
O'Neill set up a crowdfunding page alongside golfer Mark Roe in April to raise funds to cover the costs of looking after Thorne.
So far, £18,000 has been donated to support the former world No7 snooker star, who went bankrupt in 2015 after racking up debts of £1million from a crippling gambling addiction.
Among those to support financially are fellow Leicester star Gary Lineker, who is a close friend, as well as golfers Miguel Angel Jimenez and Danny Willett.
