A DAD was “overwhelmed” when he was told a friend was looking to raise money for his cancer stricken daughter.

Johny Keggan, 30, found out in late June that his daughter Emily, 7, had been diagnosed with cancer.

After weeks of complaining of splitting headaches, Emily was taken to doctors, who said it was migraines.

Not accepting the results from the doctors, Johny took Emily to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Glasgow.

There, medics found a “Kinder-egg” sized tumour in Emily’s head, which was found to be the cause of the headaches.

She is now undergoing radiation therapy, and as a result, has been stopped from playing outside with her pals.

However, lifelong family friend Sean Lavery has stepped in to cheer up the youngster, in the best way he knows how.

For the past two years, Sean has hosted charity football matches, but this time has turned his attention closer to home.

Emily has asked her parents for a tree house, where she could play while she undergoes her treatment.

Cash raised by the August game will go towards making Emily’s wish come true.

Johny, from Old Bonhill, told the Reporter: “I was totally overwhelmed when he told me about the match to be honest, it’s really nice of them to do that for her.

“Emily is not getting out very much because there’s a tube going into her belly for feeding and she’s got a central line in her chest.

“She’s also been quite tired from her radiation therapy as well.”

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Emily was diagnosed with Medulloblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer which is also the most common type of brain cancer in children.

Emily’s grandad has already sourced some wood for the treehouse, and has pledged to build it for her, but he still needs more material to make the dream a reality.

Sean, 30, also from Bonhill, said: “Emily is one of my close friend’s daughters. A few of the boys that play every year thought that we’d be able to do something for her.

“She’s not allowed out to play so she asked for a tree house for something to play in, so we decided to try and raise money to help pay for that.”

Johny hoped the tumour would be benign, and admits he “broke down” when he was told that his daughter had cancer.

He said: “They told us it was cancer, and it was quite an aggressive one. I just dropped to my knees. I couldn’t believe it.

“She made a really good recovery from the surgery to remove the tumour.”

Emily is in “good spirits” according to Johny.

He added: “She’s going in and out of hospital, which bothers her. You can understand that because you don’t want to be poked and prodded when you’re seven years old.”

Sean and his fellow footballers have set up a Just Giving page for Emily, with a target of £300.

The goal has already been smashed, weeks before a ball is kicked.

The game will take place at Tontine Park, on Saturday, August 17, at 2pm.

To donate to the page, visit

bit.ly/2SAT0e3

.

Family and friends have embarked on a number of other fundraising efforts, including shaving their heads, and a sponsored walk.