In a magical “once upon a dream” moment, 13 families from Derian House Children’s Hospice were given the ultimate fairytale surprise – they were all to go on a fully-paid Disney holiday, courtesy of a mystery donor.
Earlier this year, the generous donor set out to give one deserving Derian House family the gift of an unforgettable Disney trip – an opportunity they might not otherwise have had.
Families were invited to share their stories and videos, explaining why they deserved the chance to win the magical holiday.
Believing only one family would be chosen; the families arrived at a top-secret presentation to discover the winner at Derian House on Thursday evening (17 October).
Smiles and tears filled the room as it was revealed that all 13 families had won a Disney adventure, turning a dream into reality for everyone.
“I can’t believe it’s happening, I’m still in shock,” said Vicky Ogg, mum to four-year-old Kacey Ogg, who visits Derian House Children’s Hospice.
“We’ve never been able to take the boys abroad. It just hasn’t been possible for a number of reasons. They have gone through so much. What a beautiful thing for all of us families to be there to celebrate in that moment. To know that each of us has a story, and everything we’ve all been through, it’s just beautiful.
“Kacey’s older brother Brody couldn’t stop dancing when we got home. We were celebrating in the kitchen all night – googling photos of Disneyland and what it looks like – and we carried on celebrating even though it was a school night. We’re all just so happy. Truly, from the heart, it’s just such a beautiful thing.”
Eight-year-old Riziah Moazzeny’s mum, Naomi Moazzeny, said: “We didn’t know what to expect. My heart was pounding. I was excited and nervous all at the same time. I don’t think I can put it into words. Riziah cried, it was priceless.
“Riziah is Disney mad. It has been a dream of hers for years. One night while the family were all sat around the table I went around and asked everyone if they had three wishes, what would they be? And Riziah’s were one, go to Disney, two, to meet Stitch from Lilo and Stitch, and three, to be rich.
“Riziah didn’t sleep that night, and in the morning she was screaming “I’m going to Disney!” at everyone she passed. She’s already asking when we can go! We will be eternally grateful to the family who have made this happen.”
Dad of 10-year-old Jacob Privett, Andrew Privett, said: “We are so very grateful to the donor. It’s incredibly difficult to put into words what this means but by giving us thi
s amazing opportunity. It will allow us to create memories with Jacob and as a family which we otherwise wouldn’t have been able to do. When you have a child who is so poorly the news you receive is often negative and it is so nice to receive something positive that we can all be excited about and look forward to.”
Karen Edwards, Chief Executive at Derian House, said, “For our families, to be able to make magical memories on a Disney holiday is absolutely priceless – it truly means the world.
“We are all overwhelmed by the generosity of our mystery donor – this is an absolutely incredible gesture that will always be remembered. Our children and their families face incredibly tough challenges every day, and for someone to make this dream come true is beyond wonderful. We can’t express how grateful we are.”
Derian House, based in Chorley, Lancashire, cares for more than 400 babies, children, young people and their families from across the North West and is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
