The Fremantle midfielder’s sibling Amelia, now 7, was diagnosed with congenital chylathorax, which results from lymphatic fluid accumulating in the pleural cavity.
“‘Milly’ was very lucky to survive and be here today…she was quite sick when she was born,” Neale said.
“Mum and her spent about five or six months in intensive care in Adelaide and stayed at the Ronald McDonald house.”
When the opportunity arose to become the sixth Starlight Ambassador at Fremantle, Neale jumped at it.
“Having seen ‘Milly’ go through that, this was a perfect opportunity for me to give back,” he said.
“Growing up I looked up to AFL players and the opportunity to meet one had always put a smile on my face.
“Now that I’m in the position to give back and make kids smile, it’s an opportunity I didn’t want to let go and, for that reason, I wanted to join the Starlight Children’s Foundation and be an ambassador.”
Neale hopes he’ll be selected for Saturday’s Starlight Purple Haze Game against Gold Coast so he can get the chance to run out onto Patersons Stadium for the Starlight kids
“It would be an amazing opportunity, he said.
“For them to be able to have the opportunity to be a part of the game and put a smile on the families’ faces is really important.
“They’re obviously going through tough times and I suppose, for one day, they get to forget about all that.
“It’s a wonderful concept from the club to have the Starlight Purple Haze Game.”
Neale also had a message for all the Fremantle fans attending Saturday’s game.
“First of all, the fans coming along make sure you wear purple,” he said.
“There’ll be non-playing players and volunteers around the precinct with Starlight tins, so make sure you donate as much money as possible.
“It’s for a great cause, and we want to raise as much money as possible.”
