There were tears as the uncle of a North Wales toddler battling a condition affecting just one child in a million spoke about the youngster’s fight for a future.

More than £7,000 was raised for 16-month Rupert Smith’s treatment and research appeal at the fundraising event organised by law firm Swayne Johnson.

His uncle Liam McHugh gave an emotional speech about the devastating impact of Rupert’s rare illness.

The event at the White House in Rhuallt, which included a dinner, entertainment, a raffle and an auction, raised a total of £7,278 towards Rupert’s Rainbow’s £1.5 million target.

Rupert, from Penymynydd in Flintshire, has Alternating Hemiplegia of Childhood (AHC), a genetic neurological condition which can trigger seizures, paralysis-like episodes and life-threatening breathing difficulties.

His parents, Siobhan and Dave Smith, are raising money to fund research into the condition and give their son access to specialist treatment in America while researchers work towards a cure.

Siobhan was also a guest of honour at the event that was masterminded by

Swayne Johnson private client solicitor Olivia Brown, who gathered most of the auction and raffle prizes.

Olivia said: “When Liam spoke it was really emotional, there were quite a lot of tears in the room.

“Liam spoke about Rupert and his illness, going into detail about his health condition.

“Siobhan and Liam were there with a few of their friends and it was so lovely to see them there.

“The support we got for the raffle and auction was fantastic, we approached local businesses and they were kind enough to donate to the evening.”

Olivia was delighted that Swayne Johnson, which has offices in St Asaph, Mold, Ruthin, Denbigh, Llandudno and Tattenhall, near Chester, had played a part in raising money for Rupert’s appeal, which now stands at over £435,000.

She said: “We are so pleased, the total is amazing, I didn’t expect to raise that much.

“We had about 125 people attend and that included Swayne Johnson staff, our families and friends.

“Other businesses that we work closely with also came to support the good cause, including Williams Estates, Reid and Roberts estate agents, Whites Removals and Bone & Payne Solicitors, and we are just so grateful to them.”

Swayne Johnson’s Managing Director Lynette Viney-Passig said everybody who attended the fundraiser had been touched by Rupert’s plight and what his family is going through.

She said: “What Rupert’s uncle Liam said about him and his illness was incredibly moving.

“But it was important for everyone to hear it because it was a reminder about why we were all there, and to hear that every penny counts and how that money would make such a big difference to Rupert.

“Rupert is a little boy who is literally one in a million, his condition is incredibly rare.

“His story resonates with all of us, and it hits all of us hard, because whether you are a parent, or whether you have a nephew or a niece, you think about Rupert and you think about your own children in that situation.

“It was very brave of Rupert’s uncle Liam to stand up at the fundraiser and speak so openly and frankly to all of us about what the family are going through, but it was important because it reminds us how fundraisers can make such a difference.

“The money we raised was a phenomenal amount and it surpassed all our expectations..

“We had a cautious estimate of about £2,500, so to triple that is just amazing.

“We want to say a huge thank-you to the businesses who supported this event, their support means the world.”

Rupert’s dad Dave, a police sergeant who was awarded a British Empire Medal for his charity work, thanked Swayne Johnson for organising the fundraiser.

Dave said Rupert’s uncle Liam had flown from his home in Australia to accompany the family to Paris where they were attending a conference about AHC and so was also able to attend the Swayne Johnson fundraiser with Siobhan.

He said: “Sometimes people just see the fundraising cause and see Rupert’s photo, his beautiful eyes, his curly hair, and his smile.

“I think it is more impactful sometimes hearing it from those directly involved, it feels more personal.

“There was a lot of emotion on the back of Liam’s speech, hearing the actual words directly from our family gave people a greater understanding of what we are going through.

“We actually recorded Liam’s speech and have shared it on our social media, it is on our Facebook page.

“We are very thankful for the efforts put in by Olivia and everyone involved at Swayne Johnson.

“The help they have provided will make a real difference to Rupert and it give us hope because when we initially received the diagnosis we did feel alone because the condition is so rare that not a lot of people know about it.

“The fact that we are trying to raise awareness of this condition, and people are willing to help and support us, really gives us hope for Rupert’s future.”

Dave said the family were deeply grateful for how the community of North Wales had supported them and said they were trying to spread the word of Rupert’s Rainbow further afield.

He said: “People are organising events all the time to help our fundraising, we can’t put into words how grateful we are to the community which has wrapped around us and supported us.

“We need it to go further afield now to reach the target.

“It is achievable, but it will take a lot of hard work, though with the support we are receiving, we have got hope.”

For more information about Rupert’s Rainbow and to donate to the appeal, people can visit www.rupertsrainbow.com