All shook up by generosity (From Warrington Guardian)

All shook up by generosity

AN Elvis night has raised nearly £3,000 to help a firefighter with motor neurone disease get revolutionary therapy.

Vic Washby hopes to travel to Beijing in China for stem cell treatment from a surgeon, Dr Huang, who has successfully used it to treat the muscle wasting disease in the past.

There is a 12-month waiting list for the treatment, and Birchwood firefighter Mr Washby, of Appleton Thorn, is booked in for next September, though if he can go earlier, he will.

He said: "People have been so good. I don't know how to thank them enough. We have just been overwhelmed by it all."

Lymm and District Lions organised the event, at Grappenhall Ex-Servicemen's Club.

Mike Rudkin, of Stateside Classics in Appleton Thorn, drove Mr Washby to the event in his 1960s series 62 Cadillac, and auctioned off a night with the car to help boost funds.

Mr Rudkin said: "It was a great night. Vic is the loveliest guy you could hope to meet, and it was a pleasure to be involved."