Madison seeks supportfor friends' fundraiser

Madison Wright has been busy fundraising and has already held a coffee morning.

This took place at Carrickfergus Methodist Church in March boosting the appeal by more than £2,000.

Now Madison, a pupil at Central Primary, is asking local schools to take part in a non-uniform day in September, Leukodystrophy Month, to raise money and awareness of a rare genetic condition.

Noah, aged ten and seven-year-old Gracie Coates, from Carrick, suffer from Vanishing White Matter Disease (VMN), a form of leukodsytrophy.

Currently, they have to travel to Amsterdam for MRI scans and consultations with their specialist.

Thanking Madison for her kindness, the Coates family said: “As a family. we would like to say a massive thank you to one of the most inspiring young ladies I’ve ever met.

“To have the heart to go and arrange this coffee morning herself is just totally amazing.

“We are just so humbled by the heart of this young lady and for all the hard work she’s put into the coffee morning.

“We know she had the help of so many amazing people and our amazing wee community of Carrick who continue to support us as a family, and we are so grateful to you all.

“Life is a daily struggle for Noah and us as a family, but sometimes when you feel surrounded by darkness , with all that goes on not only in our life but the world, God allows you to see the kindness though the heart of a child and we’ve seen this through the heart of a nine-year-old girl.

“Madison thank you so much for supporting Noah and Gracie this way.”

Madison’s mum Angela commented: “It’s so lovely to see a child of Madison’s age recognising that everyone has the ability to make an difference in this world no matter what age they are.”

A crowdfunding appeal by Christine McCann and officers at Downshire GB has been launched on Just Giving.