Thomas really ‘digs’ his special JCB wish
News release and photo for immediate use
Thursday 20 December 2012
Eight year old Thomas Saunders is fascinated with tractors and machinery so when Make-A-Wish Foundation® UK, the charity that grants magical wishes to children and young people fighting life-threatening conditions, asked Thomas what his one wish was…he chose to ride in a JCB digger!
Thomas, who was diagnosed with Medulloblastoma (a brain tumour) in November 2010, lives on a farm in Crediton with his family, which is where his love of diggers has come from. On the day of his wish he travelled to the JCB World Headquarters in Staffordshire where he was taken to a VIP area before being going on a tour of the company’s permanent exhibition. It was then time for Thomas to ride a JCB digger…he also got to do some digging! Thomas’s Mum, Stephanie, said: “Thomas was very excited about riding in the JCB digger; he had a smile on his face the whole day!”
Thomas was diagnosed after Stephanie noticed he was suffering from headaches and falling asleep during the day. He was taken to hospital where he had an operation to remove the tumour before starting a six week course of radiotherapy and a 48 week course of chemotherapy. Whilst being treated Thomas also developed Posterior Fossa Syndrome which left him unable to talk and swallow – he spent most of three months in hospital and his coordination has subsequently been affected resulting in him needing a walker.
Stephanie said: “Thomas’s illness has changed our lives completely – the impact has been huge and I don’t think we’ll ever get used to it.
“Make-A-Wish is brilliant. The pleasure it gave Thomas is something we could have never given to him and seeing Thomas and his six year old brother Nathan engrossed and enjoying something together was lovely.”
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 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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