Quinn’s great adventure - The train ride of a lifetime – thanks to you
Imagine you’re a little boy, in love with trains. Of course, many little boys love trains, or cars, or lorries. But Quinn is a little different to other little boys his age…
“Until you experience it, you don’t realise how special it is.” – Orla, Quinns mum.
Quinn is also living with Wilms tumour, a rare kidney cancer that mainly affects children. His treatment included chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and the removal of a kidney. But through it all his mum, Orla, says he didn’t complain, “he just got on with it. Always sunny side out the whole time.”
So when we learned about Quinn and his wish to be a train driver, our wish granting team got right to work.
Quinn and his family travelled to Dublin for two action packed days with Irish Rail.
The first day Quinn operated a train simulator at the Irish Rail Training Centre. He navigated through various trains, weather conditions, and landscapes, feeling like a real train driver.
Quinn also visited Heuston Station, where he saw how the entire station operates, managing the departing and arriving trains. He even played the role of a VIP ticket inspector on an Inter-City Commuter, ensuring all passengers had their tickets in order.
The second day took Quinn to Connolly Station, where he got to see the yard full of old, classic trains. He met the people in charge of train maintenance, toured the control room for the station, and even boarded his favourite train, the Enterprise!
During his time in Dublin, Quinn indulged in another one of his passions at the Lego Store, where he purchased a new train set to add to his collection.
Make a donation today to help more children like Quinn
For children like Mila, music heals. Your genorosity made her wish possible!
Growing up, Mila was determined and creative. She loved dressing up… and as her mum says, “She’s really fun!”
When Mila was just a little girl, her mum noticed that she had swollen lymph nodes in her neck that didn’t go away. They had a scan, and it showed nothing. Then she began to feel chest pains at night. Her GP told them to get to A&E and have Mila checked out right away.
That’s when Mila was diagnosed with Hodgkin Lymphoma. Stage four.
No parent wants to hear that diagnosis. But you’ll be happy to know that Mila has now finished her treatment. She and her mum were eager to ring the bell showing her cancer treatments had finished.
Mila and her friends decided to start a band. She thought, “Okay, maybe I need to learn an instrument. It’ll be good for me.” But she told her mum she didn’t think guitar or drums were for her. Piano seemed right.
When she met with our wish granters, she told us of her love of music. And she wished for a piano to use with the band. We were happy to grant her wish!
“It’s really been a great distraction for us, something to focus on, something positive.”
Mila’s mum, Sonya, says, “I think the value of the wish for children like Mila is that it’s acknowledged that they’ve been on this really tough path. And that there’s a little bit of something that’s going to lift their spirits in the middle of it all. I think it’s a way to mark their bravery and their courage.”
Your love for children like Mila is what makes wishes come true. That’s why we can never thank you enough for the caring that moves you to support Make-A-Wish Ireland.
Read more incredible stories about an inspiring group of young people that are shaping the future of Make-A-Wish and Holly, one of our youngest supporters in your online support newsletter below.
