Cancer teenager's dream Disney holiday

Jordan Peel, 15, of Rothwell, went away with his mum and dad, Richard and Denise, and his 13-year-old sister, Emma.

The Disney break was a much-needed lift for the family, who have struggled through years of health issues.

Jordan was diagnosed with incurable thyroid cancer at four years old, then Denise and Emma were also found to have the condition.

They were whisked away to Florida by Caudwell Children, a national charity that gives support to disabled children and their families.

Mark Bushell from the charity, said: “The family has had a tough time of it since Jordan was diagnosed. If that wasn’t difficult enough, Richard was recently diagnosed with a progressive form of multiple sclerosis, which has left him a wheelchair user!”

To try for much needed respite, Richard and Denise applied for a place on Caudwell’s annual Destination Dreams holiday to Disney World.

Ex-motorway traffic officer, Richard, said the holiday was extremely important to them.

“We’ve had such awful luck, my brother died of skin cancer at the age of 37 so we’ve had a lot of stress," he said.

“Although Denise, Jordan and Emma have all had successful operations there is no possibility of remission. This means they have regular blood tests and cancer screenings, which is incredibly challenging as you can’t help but worry about the results.

“The holiday let us forget about all our worries for a week and it’s allowed us to make some magical memories that will last forever.”

For information about Caudwell or to donate, visit: www.caudwellchildren.com