Rangers manager Michael Beale pleads for blood as his niece battles cancer

The Englishman released an emotional post on his Instagram account last week to tell the story of brave Poppy after she was hospitalized again.

Fans and celebrities from across the game showed their support for Beale after receiving the news just days before the Viaplay Cup final with Celtic.

And the Rangers boss has now detailed the tragic situation his loved ones found themselves in after Poppy’s parents received the heartbreaking news she had relapsed.

“It’s difficult because it’s my wife’s sister’s baby — my niece,” Beale said. “She’s the same age as my daughter, so you have a healthy daughter who’s three and a half years old and a niece who’s had chemotherapy for two years, she rings and three months later she relapses.

“It’s difficult as a family because you’re far from helping. It’s just being here and the family in London.

“This news in the middle of last week was difficult. You don’t really realize how important our healthcare system is and how important our doctors and nurses are until your own family feels it.

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“It’s been going on for two years. We thought we were out of it and the situation has returned.

“It’s the only thing in the world I think we’d all like to find a cure for cancer, I think for sure.”

Beale revealed Poppy will need blood transfusions and platelet transfusions as she battles the disease “head-on again” just weeks after being given the all-clear.

The 42-year-old has highlighted the work of charities like Anthony Nolan and DKMS – an international organization that recruits blood stem cell donors – and called for more people to do their part in the fight against cancer.

Beale said: “People have to donate blood because these little kids when they’re in there, like everyone else with cancer, they have to have a blood transfusion and they have to learn that way. When it gets to the bone cart stage, they have to have a match.

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“There were loads of well-wishes for the family and the family on my wife’s side was a bit overwhelmed by it all. That is nice.

“I don’t think even I realized how important it is for people to donate blood before the event.

“Obviously NHS Scotland is doing it and it’s perhaps something that needs a little more awareness.

“We always tend to give awareness when it hits you directly, don’t we?”

Beale was speaking at his pre-game press conference on Monday afternoon as he prepares his side for this week’s Premiership game with Hibernian at Easter Road.

The former Queens Park Rangers manager has faced many issues in and out of the park at Ibrox since being appointed to replace Giovanni van Bronckhorst in December.

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Young Poppy’s plight has put all of those issues into perspective as the dedicated father of three focuses on his family in Glasgow and south of the border.

“Football is our salvation,” said Beale. “It’s the thing that can sometimes make you feel selfish as a husband or a father because you’re missing things.

“That’s fine. That’s part of the job. You give back in a different way.

“But certainly there are times when football is your be-all and end-all, but there are also times when other things are happening where you feel a bit selfish and need to pay attention to your family.

“It’s the same for all players. Everyone has it in every area of ​​life.”