People often don't realize how much of an impact an athlete can have on another person's life. And we're not even talking about the wealthiest like LeBron James or Lionel Messi, but every other athlete with a growing fanbase and the determination to help.

Athletes know that they're nothing without their fans. And unlike most people, they have plenty of cash to try and make a difference. More than that, they have a platform to help inspire others to come forward and also help.

That was the case with Leicester City star James Maddison, who recently made a big donation to help a seven-year-old cancer patient fulfill her lifelong dream of going to Disney World.

Leicester's James Maddison Has Incredible Gesture With 7-Year-Old Leukaemia Patient

(Transcript via Mirror)

"James Maddison has helped a brave child battling cancer achieve her dream of travelling to Disney World in Florida. The Leicester City midfielder, 25, made a generous donation of £2,500 to help Violet, a seven-year-old suffering from acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, reach her goal of £20,000.

Violet, from Halesowen, has been fighting the disease since last April and she will be undergoing chemotherapy until 2023. It is her dream to travel to Disney World, the world-famous resort near Orlando, and she has been fundraising for her trip since November.

Once the holiday is paid for, Violet's GoFundMe page states the leftover funds will be donated to Birmingham Children's Hospital."

Maddison Inspired His Teammates

Notably, Maddison's donation and interest in this story inspired some of his England teammates to come forward as well, helping Violet raise over £26,000 from nearly 600 people in record time:

"Maddison's Three Lions teammate Tyrone Mings donated £2,000 while Robert Snodgrass was one of many West Bromwich Albion players to contribute alongside Dara O'Shea, Jordan Hugill and others.

Maddison's intervention on Monday helped the fundraiser come to fruition, although he faced backlash on social media for make his donation public."

That's the kind of news we always want to read about.