Shropshire Star

Watch: Leicester City ball up for grabs at Telford woman's charity auction

This ball was used by Premier League champions Leicester City during their fairytale title-winning season.

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Now fundraisers are hoping it can hit another goal – raising money to help a Telford mother get pioneering treatment to treat her illness.

Still covered in mud and signed by all of the players, Kerrie Fitzpatrick Petty is hoping to use the ball to boost her campaign to raise £36,000 in the hope of travelling across the Atlantic for proton therapy to treat her illness.

She will be selling the ball – which was used in an FA Cup clash with Tottenham Hotspur – at a fundraising auction to help towards her target. The ball has been kindly donated by Leicester City FC under 21's goalkeeping coach Glyn Thompson.

Mrs Fitzpatrick, 44, said: "Our children go to the same school. He heard about my fundraising through the school newsletter so he got us the ball from Leicester City.

"It is signed by all the Leicester players including England star Jamie Vardy." She added: "For hardened Leicester City fans it would be a really nice thing to have."

The ball will be auctioned off on July 23 at a Summer Floral Ball which she has organised, which will also feature performances by Telford band Savannah and Spaghetti Machete.

The event will have a smart floral dress code and will also have a fundraising raffle and Vodka luge. It has been sponsored by Telford company ST Services.

Mrs Fitzpatrick was diagnosed with multiple endocrine neoplasia, a disorder that affects the body's hormone-producing glands, after suffering from weight gain, headaches and other symptoms.

She has since had surgery to remove her adrenal glands, but she has a tumour in her head which can only be treated with the proton therapy offered abroad.

The mother-of-two from Suffolk Way in Horsehay, Telford, wants to travel to Minnesota to start the course of treatment, believing it will give her a better quality of life.

She has two daughters aged 10 and 13 and works as a quality, health, safety and environmental manager at Schneider.

To donate to the campaign visit gofundme.com/kerriefitzpatrick To buy tickets priced at £20 for the Summer Floral Ball email summerfloralball2016@gmail.com

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