The sporting community is rallying behind Warrnambool swimmer and footballer Fionn Ginley after he was diagnosed with a rare bone cancer recently.
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Fionn, 14, who plays for the North Warrnambool Eagles Football team and is a Warrnambool Swimming Club member, has been diagnosed with Ewing's Sarcoma. He is in year nine at Emmanuel College.
Ewing's Sarcoma is a type of bone or soft tissue cancer that occurs primarily in children and young adults aged 10 to 20.
The North Warrnambool Eagles Football Netball Club has raised more than $19,000 through the Toyota Good for Footy raffle, and will donate all proceeds to the family.
Eagles junior co-ordinator Sean Kenny said the support showed the generosity of the community when it really mattered.
He said Fionn played in the ruck or centre half back in the under 16s. "He's a wonderful kid and I think that's borne out in the response to the fundraising as well.
"People know he's a wonderful, polite, respectful, team-oriented kid. He's got a lot of respect around the place," Kenny said.
"Clubs are a lot of things and they can certainly rally together. That's where we thought we could support the family who is going through a pretty rough time."
He said there were a few other fundraisers in the pipeline and the club would continue to promote the Toyota Good for Footy raffle until it was drawn in September.
The Eagles said on a social media post that the club "family" was saddened to hear the news. "Fionn is currently undergoing aggressive chemotherapy, which as we are all aware will be a significant challenge for both Fionn and his family," the club said.
People know he's a wonderful, polite, respectful, team-oriented kid. He's got a lot of respect around the place.
- Sean Kenny
The Eagles are currently ranked number one on the Toyota Good for Footy leaderboard and are up against clubs from across Australia.
Swimming coach Jayson Lamb said the club also had a handful of fundraisers planned with an open-water swim scheduled for later in the year that would go towards helping the family.
"He's a state level swimmer," Lamb said. "He's committed, he's just a good kid, a good leader - he leads by example. He trains hard and is always interested in learning.
"He's a great kid because he comes from a beautiful family."
Lamb said Fionn's strength was freestyle and he was training for national selection prior to his diagnosis.
His coach organised for Australian Olympic swimmer and gold medalist Mack Horton to call Fionn to wish him well while he was having treatment in Melbourne.
The family said it was overwhelmed with the love and messages of support from the clubs and the wider Warrnambool community and the care they'd received at the Royal Children's Hospital had been amazing.
To help raise money for Fionn purchase a ticket to go in the draw to win one of three new Toyota cars at toyotagoodforfooty.raffletix.com.au
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