Superhero surprise for seven year old
News release and photo for immediate use
Friday 11 May 2012
Seven year old Oliver Butt from Tiverton is mad about superheroes! So when Oliver, who was diagnosed with cancer in 2009, was asked what his special wish would be…he chose a superhero lunch!
Oliver’s wish, which was granted by Make-A-Wish Foundation® UK, the charity that grants magical wishes to children and young people fighting life-threatening conditions, started with a surprise knock on his hotel room door only for him to be greeted by not one but four superheroes – Spiderman, Supergirl, Batgirl and his favourite character Batman! Oliver changed into his very own Batman costume before going for a special superhero lunch. Oliver offered Spiderman some food but he wasn’t able to accept it because it would involve him removing his mask and revealing his true identity. Oliver wasn’t fazed by this and said: “It’s OK, I already know your identity, you’re Peter Parker!” After lunch Oliver was escorted outside to take a ride in the Batmobile! Oliver’s Mum, Kylie, said he was “gobsmacked” when he saw the car.
After being diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia, Oliver endured nine months of intensive chemotherapy followed by two and half years of maintenance treatment which came to an end last month. Oliver will still continue to go to the hospital for regular check-ups.
Kylie added: “A huge thank you to Make-A-Wish. The wish was wonderful; it was really special not just for Oliver but for all of us because we felt like a family again.”
There are currently 20,000 children and young people in the UK fighting a life-threatening condition and this year alone 1,400 children will turn to Make-A-Wish to have their wish granted. The charity needs to raise £6.8 million in 2012 to achieve this.
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
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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