Ollie in surprise reunion with royal
ATERMINALLY ill boy got a special surprise in hospital when he was reunited with Prince Harry.
Ollie Carroll, six, from Poynton, met the charismatic royal when he won the inspirational child category at the 2016 WellChild Awards last October.
A moving photograph of severely disabled Ollie using all his strength to stand up and give the Prince a hug made headlines around the world.
And last week the pair were reunited when Prince Harry paid a surprise visit to see Ollie and his sister Amelia, three, while they were being treated at Great Ormond Street Hospital in London.
The prince spent an hour with the family, including mum Lucy and dad Mike, talking to them about their journey and playing with the children.
Ollie and Amelia have a rare genetic condition called Late Infantile Battens Disease, which means as they get older they will lose their speech, mobility and eyesight and are unlikely to live past the age of 12.
They were granted access to trials of a new drug which it is hoped will slow the disease. It is administered through a port directly in the brain in a four hour infusion.
Lucy said the first meeting between Ollie and Harry was ‘truly magical’ and created a special bond between them.
She said: “For an hour Prince Harry sat with us talking and playing with our children, laughing and making memories.
“The very thing our children want the most in life, to be happy and having fun.
“We feel so much pride knowing that Ollie and Amelia are touching the life’s of the people they meet, with their love and their strength. The love, the support and the laughter within that treatment room on Tuesday will stay with us forever.
“From the bottom of our hearts we thank Prince Harry for his support, his time and his kindness towards our family and our journey with Batten Disease.
“It was truly incredible to watch him with our children and to have the opportunity to talk with him about our journey with Battens.”
It is another boost for Ollie who recently met his music idol Ed Sheeran before his concert in Manchester.
The popstar then took to the stage wearing a red band promoting Ollie’s Army, a campaign which aims to spread awareness of the rare disease and raises funds to buy specialist equipment and fund future research.
Visit www.olliesarmy. co.uk