Little Ella captures hearts of villagers

Aug 7 2008 by Neil Mckay, The Journal

LITTLE Ella Morran has captured the hearts of an entire village. Ever since people living in the handful of streets in Waldridge, on the outskirts of Chester- le-Street, County Durham, found out that she has leukaemia, they have rallied forth to try to make her dream come true.

Next May, Ella will fly to Disneyworld in Florida with parents Robbie, 39, and Hayley, 31.

Ella, four, who has acute lymphocytic leukaemia, a type of blood cancer, had dreamed of visiting Disneyworld in Florida to meet her cartoon hero Mickey Mouse last Christmas.

But her joy turned to heartache when doctors advised that she was unfit to fly.

Hayley said: “Ella was so upset when the doctors said her lungs weren’t up to a long-haul flight and that it would be extremely ill-advised.

“We were hoping to go to Crete on holiday in June but that also had to be cancelled because Ella was in hospital.

“But the doctors have given her the all-clear to fly next May.”

A fund-raising campaign by the Morrans’ neighbours raised £2,500 to allow Ella, diagnosed with cancer in March 2006, to go on holiday with Robbie, a plasterer, and Hayley, a housewife. Villagers handed a cheque over to Ella yesterday.

At one time her parents were told a specialist nurse would need to travel with the family, but Ella’s recovery is sufficient to allow her to travel without extra medical support. Teenage neighbours Fae Penny, 16, and Paige Henaghan, 15, set the fund-raising ball rolling when they took part in a sponsored fun run with Hayley in a cart being towed on a bike across nearby Waldridge Fell.

Community leader Brenda Wright arranged an auction and race night in the village community centre.

Hayley, of Poplar Street, Waldridge, said: “I am originally from South Shields and Robbie is from Penshaw, near Sunderland, and we didn’t know anybody when we moved to Waldridge.

“But the community has been fantastic, notably Brenda who has organised everything. We feel we are surrounded by good friends, everybody in the village has helped Ella.

“She has grown out of Mickey Mouse, and now wants to swim with the dolphins in Florida.

“After all the hospital treatment she has been through, she deserves a holiday to remember.

“ I am sure the joy of having her dream come true will assist her recovery.” Mrs Wright, former secretary of Waldridge Village Hall and a neighbour of Ella’s, said: “Ex-Sunderland footballer Kevin Ball, who is now the coach, came to the race night and helped with the fund- raising.

“He donated as an auction prize a trip to the Academy of Light, which was very generous of him, but everybody in Waldridge has taken Ella to their hearts.”