Family's Disney wish comes true for son
A teenager with a rare brain condition was able to meet and hug his Disney heroes thanks to a charity event.
Barney, from Ashton under Hill, Worcestershire, was one of more than 200 seriously ill children selected to attend A Disney Wish, run by the US entertainment firm and charity Make-A-Wish.
The event at the Hoar Cross Hall hotel in Burton-upon-Trent, Staffordshire, gave 14-year-old Barney the chance to see some of his favourite characters.
He and his family stayed at the hotel for three days, with his mum Beverley describing it as an “unbelievable” experience.
"The storytelling and the way they brought it all to life was absolutely fantastic,” she said.
Barney has lissencephaly, a life-limiting condition characterised by smooth brain surfaces that causes seizures and respiratory problems, among other issues.
He first started showing symptoms at six months old and when he was diagnosed, doctors said he would likely only live another two years, his mum said.
"He's 14 now so we feel completely blessed that we've still got him and we live every day to the max," she said.
"We always look for opportunities and we're always making memories."
Watching Disney films is Barney’s favourite pastime, his mum said, so the family were determined to find a Disney-themed event they could attend together.
A support worker who helps out the family heard about A Disney Wish and an application form was sent out in April.
They found out shortly afterwards that they had been selected and spent Sunday to Tuesday at the event.
Among the characters Barney met were Belle from Beauty and the Beast, Cinderella and Winnie the Pooh.
Cinderella even danced with Barney in his wheelchair and Beverley said he “couldn’t take his eyes off her”.
She described the experience was fantastic and said her son was able to "take his time to appreciate everything".
"Barney gets ill quite often - he has lots of respiratory issues and we just never know when these awful times are going to come,” she added.
“So to give us something like this means we have memories to take away with us forever.”
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