Jack Grealish sends 'get well' message to young fan with cancer

A girl with a rare cancer has received a surprise "get well" message from England and Manchester City footballer Jack Grealish.

Seven-year-old Leila was diagnosed with rhabdomyosarcoma, a form of sarcoma, just weeks after cheering on England and her favourite player in Euro 2020.

Her family is now raising money to fund more research into her condition.

And her best friends took on a sponsored walk to raise money for her to go on her dream holiday to Florida.

Leila, from Cotgrave, Nottinghamshire, said receiving the video from Grealish made her "feel really happy".

"She absolutely loves him," mum Kirsty said.

"We didn't know anything about it but her aunt and cousin had been in touch and told him about Leila and how much she loved him, so when we got the message it was a real big surprise for all of us.

"Leila was absolutely over the moon."

Grealish is also sending her a signed shirt and the club has invited the family to watch a match at the Etihad Stadium.

Leila is receiving treatment as part of a trial at Nottingham's Queen's Medical Centre and starts her next round of chemotherapy next week.

Dad Matthew, a groundsman for Notts County, said receiving her diagnosis had been tough to take.

"You kind of don't want to believe it at first," he added.

"You never think it's going to be you, but it soon hits and then walking on to the ward was a bit of a reality check."

Some of Leila's best friends have also come together to raise more than £4,000 to treat her to a holiday to Disney World in Florida once she is better.

The group walked three miles from Radcliffe-on-Trent to Cotgrave and six-year-old Charlie said: "We did a big walk - three miles it was. It hurt my legs a lot but it was fun."

Mum Kirsty said the amount the five boys had raised was "incredible".

She said Leila's condition was so rare that only 60 children in the UK are diagnosed with the condition each year.

For this reason, she said, they were keen to sign up to the treatment trial when it was offered and want to raise more money for charity Alice's Arc to fund the research and help other families affected.

"With this trial she has more of a chance," Kirsty added. "So I knew I wanted her to do it."

The family will be raising awareness of the condition and fundraising at Notts County's home ground during Saturday's match against Eastleigh.

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