Five year old flies like Peter Pan
News release and photo for immediate use
Wednesday 9 January 2013
Five year old Nikkita Mills was diagnosed with a Wilms’ Tumour in August 2011. On Friday 4 January Make-A-Wish Foundation® UK, the charity that grants magical wishes to children and young people fighting life-threatening conditions, granted her wish to fly like Peter Pan…
Nikkita, who is from Canterbury, arrived at the Churchill Theatre in Bromley where she was instantly rigged up to a practice swing. She was then joined on stage by Tinkerbell (CBBC presenter Gemma Hunt) who gave Nikkita her very own Tinkerbell costume to fly in. It was then time for Nikkita to show off her new skills as she took to the skies with Wendy and Peter Pan (Jennifer Ellison) whilst the rest of the cast from the pantomime production of Peter Pan filled the stage to sing. Nikkita was then invited to watch the matinee performance of the show along with her Mum, Caterina, Dad, Nick and seven year old brother Minali.
Nikkita was diagnosed whilst on holiday in France with her Dad and brother. As soon as she arrived back in the UK she started chemotherapy treatment to shrink the tumour before having surgery to remove it, along with her right kidney. She then started a four week course of radiotherapy and a 36 week course of chemotherapy. During Nikkita's treatment she needed blood transfusions and platelet therapy, picked up numerous infections and contracted E. Coli, which resulted in her being hospitalised for a month. Nikkita finished treatment in September 2012 and is now in remission but will continue to have regular check-ups.
Nick said: “Nikkita's wish was so fantastic it is difficult to pinpoint a favourite part of the day from her or Minali! The cast and staff at the Churchill Theatre were all wonderfully attentive and made Nikkita feel very special. Thank you for giving Nikkita a memory that will shine above the memories of her long treatment.”
There are currently 20,000 children and young people in the UK fighting a life-threatening condition and this year Make-A-Wish will grant over 1,100 wishes. The charity needs to raise £7 million in 2013 to achieve this and receives no government funding or lottery grants – so every donation really does count.
To make a donation to Make-A-Wish please visit www.make-a-wish.org.uk or telephone 01276 40 50 60.
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For more information about this news release please contact:
Hayley Epps: T: 01276 405093 M: 07557563214 E: hayley.epps@makeawish.org.uk
Notes to editors:
1. More photos available if required and the family are available for interview.
2. Please note that Make-A-Wish does not use phrases such as ‘terminally ill’ in order to respect the sensitive nature of life-threatening conditions and what they mean to children and young people and their families. We would ask that this approach is followed and that the term ‘life-threatening conditions’ is used in material for publication.
3. Make-A-Wish should be referred to as Make-A-Wish Foundation® UK in the first instance. Thereafter ‘Make-A-Wish’ or ‘Make-A-Wish Foundation’ is suitable. We would ask that you try to keep ‘Make-A-Wish’ on the same line.
4. Make-A-Wish grants magical wishes to children and young people fighting life-threatening conditions. The charity was founded in the UK in 1986. Registered charity number: 295672/SC037479 www.make-a-wish.org.uk.
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