Coleen Rooney and her family have made an emotional pilgrimage to Lourdes to pray for her adopted sister Rosie, who has the incurable brain disorder, Rett Syndrome.
Coleen, her parents, and 10-month-old son Kai visited the holy site - whose famous waters are said to have healing powers - after 12-year-old Rosie suffered a stroke.
A friend of the family said that Coleen gains strength from her visits to Lourdes: 'Coleen has visited Lourdes several times. Her parents used to take her when she was very young and she has since been back with children from her local church and again with Rosie two years ago. Her trips have always helped her and she needs all the strength she can get for the coming weeks.'
Before the trip, Coleen had been keeping a vigil at Rosie's bedside in an intensive care ward.
Her husband Wayne - who was recently accused of sleeping with prostitutes whilst Coleen was pregnant with their son - did not join the trip, staying instead at their home in preparation for a match. A source said that although their marriage had been salvaged, Coleen had made it clear it would be over if Wayne strayed again.
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