Tag Archives: Alan Pardew

Some of the recent wishes granted by Make-A-Wish Foundation UK

You can read more about them here on their website but I have posted a couple below:

Despite being confined to a wheelchair, Cariad loves dancing – her favourite show is Strictly Come Dancing.  It wasn’t a surprise to discover that her heartfelt wish was to watch the Strictly Come Dancing Live Tour and meet the dancing celebrities…

Cariad travelled with Dionne and Dad Jeremy  from her home in Southampton and spent the day in Cardiff enjoying afternoon tea and sampling a new cuisine – Chinese – before taking her seat to watch the live show, which she thoroughly enjoyed. Dionne told us: “She was very excited; she loves dancing and even wants to do wheelchair dancing.”  She met some of the stars of the show, as well as a couple of the judges, as you can see from our pictures.

Cariad has to sleep on a ventilator, has physiotherapy every day and is looked after by two nurses, but Mum Dionne explains “this is just normal life for us – we don’t know any different”.

Last word goes to Dionne: Strictly Come Dancing is Cariad’s favourite show and Chelsee is her favourite celebrity dancer, so meeting her was the icing on the cake. Cariad even said ‘this is the best day of my life’ and it really was; when we got home she cried because it was over!”

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Newcastle United fan Ryan, 15, was born prematurely with Tracheo-Oesophageal Fistula (an abnormal connection between the oesophagus and the trachea). We recently granted his wish to meet his idol – Newcastle United manager Alan Pardew.

Ryan’s first surprise was a visit from Alan to his home in Dudley. Ryan’s Mum, Amanda, said: “His face was a picture when Alan arrived. Ryan asked hundreds of questions and told jokes. Alan was lovely, he gave Ryan his personal training shirt and even signed it for him.” The next day Ryan was given a tour of Newcastle United’s training ground and was able to have lunch with Alan and a few players, before being given Tim Krul’s signed goalie gloves and a huge bag of goodies. Then it was on to the Newcastle United versus Queens Park Rangers match where he sat in the directors’ box and got to meet the Toon chairman and coaches.

Amanda said: “The look on Ryan’s face throughout the weekend was absolutely priceless, especially following his recent surgery in November.”

Ryan has had to undergo many operations over the past 15 years, including a full gastrectomy and surgery to treat a Diaphragmatic Hernia. He also has Epilepsy, has been left deaf after contracting Meningitis and for the past four years he has been fed intravenously.

Amanda said: “Ryan’s wish was absolutely amazing and turned into a dream come true weekend. He absolutely loved the training and meeting everyone, being in a posh seat and watching the match, but the icing on the cake was Alan Pardew coming to visit him at home! Ryan is still on cloud nine. He has said it is such a special memory he will never forget!”

“Make-A-Wish is amazing for children like Ryan whose lives revolve around hospital and treatments or operations. To do something they have always dreamed of and have wonderful memories is fantastic.”

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