Mark and Terri Louise Farren have this morning set off for Mexico for the treatment which they hope will save the life of the former Derry City striker.

The couple posted the above picture on Facebook with the following message: “And we're off!!!! Thank you all so, so much! We are blessed with such good friends, families and the footballing community. Bring on this trip, we are ready for it!”

The couple are able to make the journey due to the tremendous response to their public appeal for support a few weeks back, with football fans throughout Ireland and beyond uniting to raise an incredible amount of money for Derry’s all time League of Ireland goal scorer.

Mark was given an emotional send-off at the Everglades Hotel on Saturday night.

Over 200 people attended a special fundraising event for the Derry City striker, an event organised by former team mates Kevin McHugh, Ruaidhri Higgins, Ciaran Martyn and Shaun Holmes.

Farren, in attendance with his wife Terri and members of his family, was honoured by several guest speakers, including Northern Ireland manager Michael O’Neill, Dundalk manager Stephen Kenny, Glenavon manager Gary Hamilton, retired sports journalist Ritchie Kelly and Finn Harps striker McHugh.

Derry musician Phil Coulter also performed a number of his most famous songs, including ‘Farewell to Inishowen’ and ‘The Town I Loved So Well’.

Northern Ireland’s Queen of Comedy May McFettridge was in outstanding form as the hosts of an auction, which raised well over £10,000 for Farren’s treatment.

Some of the world’s most famous footballers contributed signed items for the auction, including Manchester United’s Wayne Rooney, Chelsea’s John Terry, and Manchester City’s Vincent Kompany. The key item on the night however, was a signed shirt donated by Barcelona’s Lionel Messi, which raised over £2000 alone.

However, the biggest selling item of the night was none other than a Derry City shirt signed by Mark Farren himself, with the shirt reaching just shy of £2,500.

The night ended with the audience breaking out in impromptu celebration of ‘There’s only one Mark Farren’.

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