MAGICAL HOLIDAY
AS the Peels gaze at the tinsel and holly decorating the Disney fairytale world, there are tears of joy in their eyes.
The family some would consider Britain’s unluckiest are on the holiday of a lifetime. For a week they can put their heartaches and anguish to one side.
They are one of 25 families whisked off to Disney World in Florida by the charity Caudwell Children.
Dad Richard, 51, who has multiple sclerosis, chokes up when he talks of his children Jordan, now 15, and Emma, 13. Like their mum Denise, 49, both have a rare incurable thyroid cancer.
A nurse broke the news about his kids and Richard, of Leeds, said: “I just knew. I said, ‘It’s both of them, isn’t it?’ I had to leave the room.”
Denise felt so guilty she needed counselling and antidepressants. The three face an uncertain future and have had surgery and are on daily medication. Denise said: “I wonder if we are the unluckiest family in Britain.”
Richard was saving to take them to Florida but had to give up his decorating job after he was diagnosed with MS last year. Their trip was saved by
Caudwell Children.
Richard said: “It’s terrific, a real dream come true. It’s the best thing we’ve ever done as a family. We’ve had such a hard time but we deserve some good luck.”
Jordan said: “This week has just been brilliant. I’ve been on so many rides. It’s even better than I thought it would be.”
Many of the children on the trip need round-the-clock care and are unlikely to survive into adulthood.
Determined
The dream holiday means the world to Michelle Ryder, 42, and husband Paul, 40, who had six rounds of IVF before conceiving beloved son William, seven.
The couple, from Barnsley, South Yorks, rejected advice to terminate William, born 13 weeks early with severe brain damage.
Last year he had a huge stroke and has spent four out of six Christmases so far in hospital.
He could only walk short distances and can’t talk but recognised his favourite character – Mickey Mouse.
Michelle said: “We were told he’d never walk, but he can take a few steps. He’s so determined, happy and cheeky.
“He loves Mickey so much. He squeals with delight every time he sees him. This trip means so much because we’ve spent so many Christmases in hospital.”
Sophia Colley, five, also could not contain her joy as her dad Alagie, 40, carried her through the gates and she saw Cinderella’s castle.
She has
Edwards syndrome, a rare chromosome disorder which means she can barely walk.
She can only say “mum” and
“dad”. Her parents were told she would die within a month of her birth in November 2013. But Annette, 48, of Stafford, had already lost five-year-old son Daniel to neuroblastoma in 2008 and could not face the pain of another child dying.
Annette said: “Sophia defied the odds. At two, she had surgery to close the hole in her heart – surgery we were told she’d never be strong enough for. We think Daniel is her guardian angel. For her operation, she wore a T- shirt saying, ‘ Hand picked for earth by my brother in heaven’.”
Annette said Sophia loved seeing the characters.
Logan Ingold-savage,