Inspired By Dreams Life-changing holidays
Patricia takes disabled children to Florida – and brings them home as champions!
In 1987, British Airways cabin crew member Patricia Pearce chartered a plane and took 288 children to Florida.
“It was only meant to be a one-off, but 30 years later, Dreamflight has treated 5,000 children to a 10-day, parent-free holiday of a lifetime in Florida,” says Patricia, who is now 72 and works tirelessly to raise funds to ensure Dreamflight’s Florida trips happen every year.
Children from across the UK with a range of illnesses and disabilities go on the annual trip, accompanied by a team of volunteer escorts, doctors, nurses and physiotherapists.
“Dreamflight gives children things medicine can’t provide – confidence, independence and a new outlook on life,” continues Patricia, who explains that the children share twin rooms so they can help and support each other.
The children spend every day in a different theme park, including Disneyworld, while the evenings provide opportunities to socialise, dress up and dance.
“Every child also gets to swim with a dolphin,” adds Pat, who has only missed one Dreamflight – due to a course of chemotherapy. “These kids deserve a treat and never feel sorry for themselves. Last year, a boy said to me, ‘I don’t know why I was chosen to come on this trip. I’ve only got cancer.’
“When we land back I always tell them, ‘Go home and set your goals.’ And they certainly do that!
“One is now a golf professional, another came back on one of our trips as a cameraman, another came as a doctor. Dreamflight children, including patron Liz Johnson, have 33 Paralympic medals.
“Dreamflight children are deserving of a little bit of magic and I’m incredibly proud of every one of them.”
“Dream fight gives children things that medicine cannot provide”