Family in plea to help fund vital op

Jude with his Chadderton Park FC scarf watches Chelsea play at Stamford Bridge

THE family of an inspirational little boy who regularly makes a 100-mile round trip to play with his cerebral palsy football team is making an urgent plea to help change his life.

Seven-year-old Jude Liversage, from Stoke, lives for every other Sunday when he gets to play football with his friends in Chadderton Park’s cerebral palsy squad.

The session — one of only a handful held in the UK — is the one time he can leave the condition behind and play.

It’s also where his parents, Tony and Kelly, learned of an operation which has led to several children from the team being able to walk unaided.

But his family faces a race to help pay for the eight-hour, life-changing operation, scheduled for July 4. The effectiveness of the operation is dramatically reduced if it takes place later than his 10th birthday.

The operation - not likely to be available through the NHS for at least another 18 months -means the family faces a £35,000 bill.

Tony — who takes Jude to Stamford Bridge to watch his favourite team Chelsea — has written Jude’s moving story online as part of a desperate plea for help.

“I’ve come to the conclusion you only get one life and you should live it,” said Tony. “We cope with it but after hearing about this operation we knew it was something we had to try to achieve.

“Chadderton Park has given Jude the opportunity to do the thing he loves most. The people who run that team are incredible.”

Chadderton Park FC secretary, Craig Simpson, said Jude’s touching story is what makes running the team worthwhile: “We’re behind Jude’s appeal all the way,” he said

Donate at www.treeofhope.org.uk/judes-story-judes-sdr.