Rugby fans raise cash for Ethan

12:18pm Sunday 2nd September 2007

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RUGBY fans raised more than £400 for Ethan Connolly when they clubbed together on their way to Wembley to support St Helens in the Challenge Cup.

Three bus loads of fans dug deep to raise the £440 for Ethan, who has a lymphatic malformation that has left him with cysts along his jaw line.

The day was organised by Tony Gandy, who makes the trip in honour of a different charity every year.

The money will be added to that raised over August Bank Holiday weekend by Millennium Motorcycles in Thatto Heath, and the Trigger Pond in Great Sankey.

Ethan and his family went to each of the fundraisers which Ethan loved, said his mum Karen.

The motorbike stunt show was held in St Helens, where stunt team 65 Degrees performed a stunt show.

"Ethan thought they were Power Rangers," said Karen.

The event raised almost £300 and Millennium Motor Cycles will donate £100 for each bike sold that day.

The family then arrived at the Trigger Pond in time for the Mr Happy Chappy Magic Show.

"It was the first time Ethan has sat still through a Magic Show, he never moved," said Karen.

On September 11, Ethan will go back into theatre to have steroid injections to the scar sites from his last operation in Germany to stop scar tissue forming.

In October he will undergo tongue reduction surgery at Alder Hey Children's Hospital.

"Hopefully this operation with create more space in Ethan's mouth and help him with his speech," said Karen.

More fundraising for Ethan will take place in the coming months and details of all the events can be found at the Ethan page at warringtonguardian.co.uk or at ethansjourney.co.uk So far the family have received almost £30,000 for Ethan's operations.