Ex-York star loses baby to rare illness

Former York Wasps favourite Steve Hill has been hiding a heart-rending secret since his move to Sheffield Eagles last year.

Big prop forward Steve and wife Leeann were overjoyed when their baby Lily was born last October.

But that soon turned to tragedy when tests showed the baby was suffering from the most severe form of spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) and had only a 20 per cent chance of surviving to her first birthday.

The disease, which causes weakness of the muscles and has no cure, is passed to a child from its parents only if both mother and father carry a defective gene. The couple were unware they carried the gene until after the birth of the baby.

Lily lived for three and a half months before losing her fight for life in late January.

Steve, aged 24, said: "Although Lily lived for so short a time it was the most precious time of our lives, even though we were playing a waiting game.

"Until Lily was diagnosed with SMA neither of us had heard of the disease or realised its implications.

"To look at Lily you would never know there was anything wrong. She was a beautiful baby and always smiling."

During the weeks following the diagnosis, Steve was told by the Eagles to forget rugby but only now is the reason he was missing from the team being revealed.

Steve is now back in the team and, with 26-year-old Leeann, is helping to support a charity event to raise cash for research into the disease.

He is looking for sponsors for a fund-raising parachute jump on Saturday, April 21, when he hopes to bring rugby league stars from clubs across the

north to congratulate those taking part.

"Research is needed in spinal muscular atrophy but that needs cash.

"There is no government aid and all research is funded by donations from the

public through the Jennifer Trust for Spinal Muscular Atrophy," said Steve, whose rugby and work commitments mean he will not be able to do the jump himself.

"Leeann and I were given great support by the medical staff and this is our way of giving something back.

"If you can help and will sponsor someone doing the parachute jump, or sponsor me for not doing it, please get in touch with me."

Steve can be contacted on 0798 0002797. Alternatively, send a sponsorship cheque to Steve made payable to JTSMA and send it to Steve

Hill c/o North British Housing, 243a Roundhay Road, Leeds LS8 4HS.