Walsall teen with very rare illness is granted winter wonderland wish
News release and photo for immediate use
Thursday 20 December 2012
13 year old Callum Oakley had a special Christmas wish granted on 13 December 2012, when he was whisked off to Lapland by Make-A-Wish Foundation® UK, the charity that grants magical wishes to children and young people fighting life-threatening conditions, to meet Father Christmas.
Callum, from Walsall, has a form of Ataxia (a neurological disorder), but his condition is so rare that doctors are unable to diagnose him with a specific type. The condition, which he was diagnosed with at 15 months old, affects his co-ordination and balance and he gets tired very quickly. Callum is also partially sighted and suffers from loss of hearing. A specialist consultant in Amsterdam is now doing research into Callum’s condition to try and give the family a firm diagnosis.
Upon arrival in Lapland, Callum and his family were kitted out in thermal clothing before settling down for the evening, ready for the next few days of festive fun. They were treated to a husky ride, met some of the reindeer and elves, rode skidoos and got to look around Santa’s Workshop, before setting off through the winter wonderland in search of Father Christmas!
Callum chose to go to Lapland because he loves Christmas and is obsessed with Santa! His Mum, Debbie, said: “Callum rarely gets excited but the night before we left he hardly slept, he just couldn’t wait to go.
“Lapland is simply wonderful! We were in a magical fairy-tale for five days and it gave us the chance to forget about Callum’s illness.
“He was smiling and laughing when he met Father Christmas…I’ve never seen him like that and in that moment he just looked OK. Make-A-Wish really does bring such magic to children.”
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.
~ ends ~
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.
Tags:
