Brave Wallasey youngster will light up Cheshire Oaks tomorrow

Nov 14 2012 By Lorna Hughes

AN INSPIRATIONAL Wallasey youngster living with a rare health condition will light up Cheshire Oaks for Christmas.  

George Johnson, two, will join three other children to switch on the shopping outlet village’s Christmas lights tomorrow.  

George suffers from a condition which means he struggles to eat or drink and until recently had to be fed through his heart.  

The brave little boy has spent much of his life in hospital, at Alder Hey in Liverpool and Great Ormond Street in London, and has been helped by the Claire House Hospice to Home team.  

His family are still waiting for a proper diagnosis for his condition and Emma and her sister Hannah Cassidy set up Team George to help raise awareness.  

The appeal now has thousands of followers on Facebook and Twitter, who are helping to raise money to fund possible treatment for George in the USA.  

His mum Emma said: “George is due to go into hospital in the next couple of weeks for an operation and may be in over Christmas.  

“Switching on the lights at Cheshire Oaks is an early Christmas celebration for our family and we couldn't be more excited.”  

George will be joined by his family – including big sister Ava – for the event, which starts at 7pm.   

The Christmas lights event  will include a choir led by X Factor and Britain’s Got Talent vocal coach Yvie Burnett.  

Cheshire Oaks owner McArthurGlen has chosen Claire House as its Christmas charity and all proceeds from fundraising events held over the festive season will go to the Bebington-based hospice.   

Abi Smith, area fundraising manager for Claire House said: “Our children and young people have joined an elite group of people who've had the privilege of switching on the lights and we couldn't be more proud or delighted.”  

Find more about Team George at @_TeamGeorge on Twitter.