Family stalked by cancer enjoy trip of a lifetime to Disney World

As the Peels gaze at the tinsel and holly decorating the Disney fairytale world, there are tears of joy in their eyes.

The family some would consider Britain’s unluckiest are on the holiday of a lifetime. For a week they can put their heartaches and anguish to one side.

They are one of 25 families whisked off to Disney World in Florida by the charity Caudwell Children.

Dad Richard, 51, who has multiple sclerosis, chokes up when he talks of his children Jordan, now 15, and Emma, 13. Like their mum Denise, 49, both have a rare incurable thyroid cancer.

A nurse broke the news about his kids and Richard, of Leeds, said: “I just knew. I said, ‘It’s both of them, isn’t it?’ I had to leave the room.”

Denise felt so guilty she needed counselling and antidepressants. The three face an uncertain future and have had surgery and are on daily medication. Denise said: “I wonder if we are the unluckiest family in Britain.”

Richard was saving to take them to Florida but had to give up his decorating job after he was diagnosed with MS last year. Their trip was saved by Caudwell Children.

Richard said: “It’s terrific, a real dream come true. It’s the best thing we’ve ever done as a family. We’ve had such a hard time but we deserve some good luck.”

Jordan said: “This week has just been brilliant. I’ve been on so many rides. It’s even better than I thought it would be.”

Many of the children on the trip need round-the-clock care and are ­unlikely to survive into adulthood.

The dream holiday means the world to Michelle Ryder, 42, and husband Paul, 40, who had six rounds of IVF before conceiving beloved son William, seven.

The couple, from Barnsley, South Yorks, rejected advice to terminate William, born 13 weeks early with severe brain damage.

Last year he had a huge stroke and has spent four out of six Christmases so far in hospital.

He could only walk short distances and can’t talk but recognised his favourite character – Mickey Mouse.

Michelle said: “We were told he’d never walk, but he can take a few steps. He’s so determined, happy and cheeky.

“He loves Mickey so much. He squeals with delight every time he sees him. This trip means so much because we’ve spent so many Christmases in hospital.”

Sophia Colley, five, also could not contain her joy as her dad Alagie, 40, carried her through the gates and she saw Cinderella’s castle.

She has Edwards syndrome, a rare chromosome disorder which means she can barely walk. She can only say “mum” and “dad”.

Her parents were told she would die within a month of her birth in November 2013. But Annette, 48, of Stafford, had already lost five-year-old son Daniel to neuroblastoma in 2008 and could not face the pain of another child dying.

Annette said: “Sophia defied the odds. At two, she had surgery to close the hole in her heart – surgery we were told she’d never be strong enough for.

"We think Daniel is her guardian angel. For her operation, she wore a T-shirt saying, ‘Hand picked for earth by my brother in heaven’.”

Annette said Sophia loved seeing the characters.

Logan Ingold-Savage, 12, has Duchenne muscular dystrophy, a terminal illness which usually kills sufferers in their teens.

Wheelchair-bound Logan, of Crawley, West Sussex, wanted to make memories with his brother Casey, 19, and sister Madison, 14. The siblings enjoyed a special safari at the Animal Kingdom park.

Mum Lynsey, 41, said: “Last year, Logan stopped being able to walk. We just make the most of each day. We haven’t had a family holiday abroad since he was diagnosed, so this is a big thing for us and we’re never going to get another chance to come here.”

The holiday is equally precious for nurse Elaine Hildrick, 45, whose son Conor was struck with cryptogenic liver disease when he was 12.

Elaine was told Conor would die if he didn’t have a liver transplant by 20.

Last year he was taken by ambulance from his home in York to London when a liver became available.

It had ­belonged to an 11-year-old girl who had died in a road accident. When Conor, now 18, pulled through, Elaine immediately applied to take him and sister Abbie, 19, on the trip.

She said: “I was like a lunatic – I really thought we were going to lose him. We planned his funeral together. He wanted the Indiana Jones theme tune.

"We’d decided we wouldn’t say goodbye before he went under ­because I would just have collapsed. Instead, we said ‘see you soon’.Thankfully, he pulled through and I applied for the trip the next day.

“When he was ill we couldn’t go anywhere because we could never be more than half an hour from a hospital. A holiday was out of the question. He was recently reunited with the crew who took him to London and we’ve also been in touch with the ­family of his donor.

“We’ll buy her little sister a present at the Harry Potter shop.

“It’s ­bittersweet. My child is only here because someone else lost theirs. I’ve told Conor he now has to live for both of them now. She keeps him alive, but he keeps part of her alive too.”

Trudi Beswick, chief executive of Caudwell Children, said: “For many parents caring for a child with a ­terminal or life-threatening condition the thought of leaving the protected environment of their home town, and their medical support, fills them with dread.

"By providing 24-hour professional medical provision, along with a team of volunteers, for the duration of the trip, Destination Dreams gives families the chance to create happy memories, often for the first time.

“Unfortunately the level of assistance families need doesn’t come cheap, but with the public’s support we will be able to ­continue making ­magical dreams come true for the children we support.”

To give to Caudwell Children and help other youngsters enjoy a fully supported holiday to Disney World go to: www.caudwellchildren.com/donate/make-a-donation

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