Little Thomas Barter is one lucky young boy. Not only has he overcome a potentially life threatening injury, a lacerated kidney, after falling from his bike, but he has also got to meet the Geelong footballer who suffered the same condition.

Thomas got to meet his favourite footballer Tom Lonergan at the official launch of the 2008 Geelong Hospital Appeal, getting the opportunity to trade stories on the circumstances around their kidney injuries and even check out one another's scars!

The keen young footballer found himself in hospital after falling from his bike in 2007. After being rushed to the Geelong Hospital's Emergency Department by his parents, doctors were quick to diagnose Thomas' condition, particularly given that they had had to treat Tom Lonergan for the exact same injury only a year before.

In appreciation of the efforts of the staff at the Emergency Department, Thomas and his family have agreed to lend their story to the inaugual Geelong Hospital Appeal, making the young boy the 2008 Face of the Appeal.

To read more about Thomas' story, click here.

Since their initial meeting, the 'two Toms' have shared the footy field with little Thomas taking to Skilled Stadium for his Auskick competition on the same day Lonergan kicked five goals for the Cats' VFL team.