'Make a Wish' fundraiser on Friday

The lives of the Hughes family of Kildakey were totally shattered two years ago, when their little boy Ben was diagnosed with high risk Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia.

What followed was a nightmare for the close-knit family, as little Ben began treatments which would leave him critically ill.
Ben, who also has Down Syndrome was just five years-old when he was diagnosed and the early stages of his treatment were gruelling, even life threatening, but as he made his way back to health, a fantastic holiday in Disneyland, Paris courtesy of Make-A-Wish Foundation put a beautiful smile back on his face.
He has been nicknamed 'Little Stormtrooper' by staff of St John's Ward in Crumlin, as he displayed his fighting qualities and while his treatment continues, he is now well and is attending school.
His mum, Amanda explains that he spent over five months in hospital and the first the first three months he never spoke, only cried.
He had been through so much that when another mum mentioned Make-A-Wish to Amanda, she got in contact with them and just last December the Hughes - Mam and Dad; Amanda and Gerry, Ben and his sister, Aime flew out to Disneyland Paris, courtesty of the Make a Wish Foundation.
'Ben's wish was to see Mickey Mouse. Make-A-Wish, and Ben’s special wish granter Louise, arranged everything down to the finest detail of the trip. The trip was truly spectacular from the minute we arrived at the airport. Ben was overcome with excitement from the start of the trip to the end.
'The Aer Lingus crew on the plane made him feel so special and the pilot let him sit in his seat when we landed in Paris. Disneyland was so special. After months of treatment and pain Ben was just a different child. Not even a kid on Christmas morning would have been as overjoyed he was. There were some many emotional moments for us on the trip and a lot of hidden tears. He even made his first steps from his buggy to greet Mickey Mouse who he ended up seeing at least ten times in total.
'We can never thank Make-A-Wish enough for their kindness and generosity towards Ben and ourselves and the joy they brought to Ben's life after coming from such a dark place,' says Amanda.
Ben's diagnosis came totally out of the blue. 'He just wasn't well, he was pale and wasn't eating. We thought it was viral, but deep down I knew something else was going on.
'His doctor sent him for blood tests and he was taken to Temple Street Hospital, where they thought at first there was something wrong with his kidneys. We were told in the early hours for the morning that it was leukaemia and he was transferred to St John's Ward, Crumlin.”
Ben started chemotherapy on 27th April 2015 and he will complete his treatment in August this year.
'We had no idea back then, the horrific journey Ben was about to embark on. His treatment started immediately and due to complications and side effects from the treatment, it wasn't long before he became seriously ill and on the 18th May he became critically ill and needed sugery. The doctors on that day told us there were no guarantees he was going to make it out of theatre as we held him before he went to sleep. Words can’t describe the pain it was to watch our beautiful special little boy so sick, but from somewhere deep inside him he found the will to survive and by the time we eventually got him home five months later he's was a frail weak little boy who couldn't walk or stand.
'At one stage he lost the use of his hands and legs and couldn't swallow - that was the effect chemo was having on him.'
Ben has since regained the use of his hands and has no problems eating, but his legs are still weak and he has difficulty walking any distance.
 'He is a great little fighter and started back in Kildalkey School last September. He is doing good and we are looking forward to the treatment ending next August,' says Amanda.
Make-A-Wish Day takes place on Friday to celebrate and support the work of Make-A-Wish Ireland and 55 local volunteers are needed in Meath to give a few hours of their time to sell wristbands and badges for €2 each in their local area.
Make-A-Wish is funded entirely through donations and fundraising. To support the ongoing happiness they give to children and their families from Meath and throughout Ireland, Make-A-Wish needs the help of volunteers in Meath to continue their important work.
 Irene Timmins Head of Fundraising for Make-A-Wish said:
“We are approaching our 2,000th wish for Irish kids which would not be possible without our volunteers. All we are asking is a few hours on Friday to sell some of our wish bands and badges, at €2 each, with 100 per cent of proceeds to Make-A-Wish.
“Wishes make memories that last many lifetimes, but we cannot make them without our volunteers.”
Sign up to volunteer by visiting www.makeawish.ie or contact Daragh on (01) 2052011 / volunteer@makeawish.ie