Leeds United star Kalvin Phillips and Burley Banksy support match to help severely disabled boy

The mother of a severely disabled eight-year-old boy  said she is "overwhelmed" by community support  for a fundraising football match in west  Leeds this weekend to help her son.
By Mark Lavery
Published 7th Mar 2020, 06:00 BST
Updated 7th Mar 2020, 10:34 BST
Oliver Rooney is pictured (front right) with twin brother Jack and mum Elizabeth McOmish Rooney. Pictured (back row from left to right) are Samuel, Joseph and Thomas Rooney.Oliver Rooney is pictured (front right) with twin brother Jack and mum Elizabeth McOmish Rooney. Pictured (back row from left to right) are Samuel, Joseph and Thomas Rooney.
Oliver Rooney is pictured (front right) with twin brother Jack and mum Elizabeth McOmish Rooney. Pictured (back row from left to right) are Samuel, Joseph and Thomas Rooney.

Leeds United star and Wortley FC old boy Kalvin Phillips and Burley Banksy Andy McVeigh are supporting the match in Wortley on Sunday (March 8) to help Oliver Rooney of Bramley.

Oliver was born with genetic condition Wolf-Hirschhorn Syndrome and has epilepsy, learning difficulties and cannot walk far.

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Oliver's mum Eizabeth McOmish-Rooney, 46, wants to raise £3,000 to buy an all terrain buggy so Oliver can join in more with family activities with his twin brother Jak and three older brothers Thomas, nine, Joseph, 11 and Samuel, 12.

Oliver RooneyOliver Rooney
Oliver Rooney

A TV Harrison FC team will play an Armley CCFC side from 2pm on Sunday at the TV Harrison sports ground on Oldfield Lane, Wortley.

Kalvin Phillips has signed a Wortley FC shirt and Burley Banksy has produced a unique ALAW (All Leeds Aren't We) painting with both items to be raffled off at the fundraising game.

Joseph and Thomas Rooney play for Wortley FC Colts junior team and Sunday's fundraising game has been organised by junior coach Dave Westerman's wife Lea.

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Mrs McOmish-Rooney, who works as a lunchtime supervisor at a school for children with additional needs, said the family knew there was something severely wrong with Oliver at eight-months-old because he could not do the same things as his twin brother Jak.

The Burley Banksy artwork to be raffled.The Burley Banksy artwork to be raffled.
The Burley Banksy artwork to be raffled.

She said: "At that point Jak could sit up and could hold his head up and was crawling around. Oliver was still like a newborn baby."

Oliver was diagnosed with Wolf-Hirschhorn Syndrome at 18-months-old.

Mrs McOmish-Rooney said: "It was devastating. When you have got a young family you don't expect to be hearing that.

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"It totally changes your life and the dreams that you had for your children.

"He will be dependent on his parents for the rest of his life for all his needs."

Mrs McOmish-Rooney thanked Lea Westerman for organising the event and the west Leeds community for supporting it.

She said: "I'm totally overwhelmed with the support the community is giving me."

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Mrs McOmish-Rooney and ten friends and children will be taking part in a sponsored five-mile walk in and around Grassington in the Yorkshire Dales on March 28 to raise money for the JustGiving appeal to buy to Oliver an all terrain buggy.

Related topics:Kalvin PhillipsLeedsLeeds United

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