How you gave Ethan, 7, a day to remember Quids for Kids delivers a Xmas treat
LITTLE Ethan Joyce might not be able to sit up unaided, or walk, or even talk properly, but he can smile like an angel, particularly when he sees anything remotely Christmassy.
‘He loves anything to do with Christmas – the lights, the decorations, the snow,’ says his mother, Naomi, 31.
‘He gets so animated and happy the minute he sees anything festive.’
Ethan suffers from severe epilepsy as a result of a rare gene mutation, but has always been full of joy. So when Make-a-Wish UK – the charity supported by the Daily Mail’s Christmas Quids for Kids campaign – offered to put a wish together for the sevenyearold from Somerset, his parents didn’t think twice.
‘It had to be a family trip to Winter Wonderland,’ says Naomi, who added that Lapland or, indeed, flying anywhere, is out of the question for Ethan, given the amount of equipment he needs just to survive.
Earlier this month, Ethan, his step- sister Dakota, four, and their parents travelled by stretch limo to London’s Hyde Park for a VIP experience at the capital’s most Christmassy attraction.
‘We’d been counting down for weeks and he was so excited and smiley,’ says Naomi. ‘The weekend was more magical than we could ever imagine. Seeing Ethan’s face light up made all the difficult times fade away and make us feel like a normal family for once. We are so, so proud of him. His strength and determination amazes us every single day and he always has a smile on his face.’ This Christmas we are asking you to help grant the wishes of more children like Ethan by donating old £1 coins to our Quids For Kids appeal. Kind readers have helped to smash the £ 200,000 barrier to make dreams come true for seriously ill children.
Tens of thousands of old £1 coins have been donated at branches of Nationwide Building Society for Make-A-Wish UK. You can also send a donation directly to our fund – see the coupon below – or visit dailymail.co.uk/quidsforkids.
There are is still time to donate to the appeal, which will help some of the 20,000 youngsters facing treatment in hospital over Christmas.