When little Arthur Spackman went on a Pied Piper Wish Holiday to Paris Disneyland it was a dream come true for all the family.

Here at the Pied Piper, we gave Arthur and his family so much more than treasured memories of meeting Minnie Mouse during the EuroDisney VIP trip.

The Wish holidays programme allows children with life-limiting illnesses to make special memories with their families. Regular visitors to the Gloucestershire Royal Hospital Children’s Centre, like Arthur, his parents Charlene and Ashley and older sister Ellie, know the difference the Pied Piper makes.

Arthur required around the clock care and also often visited the James Hopkins Trust day nursery. The trust looks after children that are severely disabled and can offer overnight respite which they call sleepovers as well as daytime care. The overnight respite has also been funded by the Pied Piper at JHT, so a nice connection.

Despite Arthur’s complex needs, Pied Piper managed to arrange their first and last trip of a lifetime shortly before he died in his dad’s arms in the early hours of May 2, 2019.

“It was a dream come true,” said mum Charlene from Brockworth who said Arthur loved meeting Minnie Mouse.

“It was our first family holiday together and the number of happy tears we cried was crazy. For my daughter, the biggest memories she has of her little brother are in Paris Disneyland.

“Arthur passed away within a month of getting home so it is the last big thing we shared together, and we have so many family photos and funny stories because that holiday was so amazing.”

Arthur had a rare genetic disorder called Non-Ketotic Hyperglycinemia or NKH which left him severely disabled from birth and needing round-the-clock care.

The family were regular visitors to the Children’s’ Centre where the charity supplies equipment such as heart scanners and invests in training so paediatric nurses are up to date with the latest information and skills needed to treat young, sick patients.

“It is an amazing place because it so child friendly and focused,” said Charlene.