Making Dreams Come True
Paul had been selected to represent the UK in the European Special Olympic Competition, but his family were struggling to fund all of the expenses needed. His coach got in touch with us, and it was our pleasure to help Paul wing his way to another championship!
Paul was so shocked, he had thought that he was just coming along to see the pirates, and you can see by the look on his face he was speechless when Martin gave him a cheque.
Well done Paul, we all wish you the very very best!!
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Jamie is a terminally ill youngster from Hemel Hempstead, who unfortunately, in addition to the many challenges he faces each and every day, suffered a stroke 6 weeks ago meaning that he has been unable to return to school. His school have recently had installed a specialist PC, complete with adapted controls and programmes designed to stimulate Jamie visually and mentally, helping him progress, teaching him colours, number etc. The PC cost the school over £1000, and although it was purposely purchased for Jamie, it cannot be relocated to Jamie’s home as it is so big. Well, emotions ran high when little Jamie came into The Marlowes, thinking that he was going to meet Santa and his helpers, but instead of the usual gift that the children were receiving, guess what they produced from behind Santa’s chair! Yep, you guessed it, a smaller, but just as effective, version for him to use at home, and we even threw in a present for his sister too!! With quite a few wet eyes, the management and local press witnessed a truly magical memory, and his Mum has since been in contact to let us know that it all works fine, and Jamie has been playing on it ever since they took it home that day, repeating “Oh wow!” over and over again.
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Little Rebecca from Derby wanted so badly to learn to swim with the rest of her class, but having been born 13 weeks premature left her with such poor eyesight that the only way she could safely be allowed into the pool was with high prescription goggles. Well, we weren’t about to let a little thing like goggles get in the way of this little sweetie reaching her potential, and we hope she makes a big splash at the local pool!!
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We were thrilled to make a dream come true for little Evan Duffield, and he and his family were in for a real surprise surprise when they turned up to The Red Dragon believing that they were coming to meet the team. Evan suffers from a very rare condition called Aicardi-Goutieres syndrome, he is cortically blind, will never be able to walk, sit up, he cannot talk, he will never be able to eat or drink and has to take food and liquids through a peg in his tummy, has micro-cephalous, he has uncontrollable and severe muscle spasm and his life expectancy is not expected to last beyond his late teens, however, despite all of these troubles he is a fighter and always has a smile on his face. Aicardi-Goutieres Syndrome is a very rare syndrome; with Evan being one of only 6 suffers in the UK, and only 50-60 cases Worldwide. It is a progressive illness that attacks the brain and immune system. However, Evan responds and reacts to lights, and when we heard that his family were desperately trying to get the funds together to buy him a fibre optic glow wall we jumped into action and made that dream come true. The family were overwhelmed and there were a few tears (Sara is such a big softie!!).
