CRYSTAL Palace's goalkeeping star has said he wants to do "everything in his power" to help Georgia Strudwick – the Purley girl with chronic Rett syndrome.
After reading an article in the Advertiser a fortnight ago about a fundraising challenge for Georgia, Julian Speroni got in touch with the family and invited them to lunch at his new restaurant in Purley.
Georgia arrived with her parents, Lisa and Jeff, as well as her uncle Gary, who is organising a fishing competition in April to raise money for the young girl.
The life-threatening neurological disorder – which Georgia was diagnosed with when she was two – prevents her from walking or talking and has gives her chronic breathing problems that make it hard for her to sleep.
Mr Speroni said: "I saw it in the paper in the same week as there was an article about my restaurant and instantly thought 'I really want to help'.
"I did not know much about Rett and wanted to organise this meeting so I could talk to Georgia's parents and think about what I can do to help. It's really lovely to see her here.
"It's such a rare disease that I think it's important to raise awareness about it; there's so much you can do within the community."
Jeff Strudwick said he was "bowled over" by Mr Speroni getting in touch.
He said: "We're all life-long Palace fans so it means a lot that he has asked us here rather than some famous person we don't know much about. I don't expect much from people so the fact he wants to help is great."
Lisa said her daughter had "no choice" but to watch the Palace games on television.
"When her dad's home her chair is next to the television so she's watched so many Palace matches. I'm so pleased and so surprised Julian wants to get involved. With someone like him I think awareness about Rett can really move forward."
Gary Strudwick said he was "overwhelmed" by Mr Speroni's interest in Rett and the invite to his restaurant.
"I think we can really work out what Julian can do to help Georgia and Rett," he said.
"It's a real honour. As a Palace fan, we couldn't have asked for more and it's really special to all be here."
Mr Speroni donated a shirt and some match gloves for the prize draw at the fishing competition.
