When Jack was born his parents knew he had a serious illness, but it wasn’t until he was 10½ years old that he was diagnosed with IMAGe Syndrome Pole 1 – an illness so rare that less than 20 children in the world have it. Now 16 years old, Jack requires a lot of medical assistance and has had multiple surgeries in his short life. Jack also lives with osteopenia and an adrenal deficiency, making daily steroid use his lifeline.
For someone so young, he has been through a lot. But that in no way dampens Jack’s spirits. Jack is bright, sociable and very funny. His love of music, especially the music of country singer, Nathan Carter, has got him through so much. When he’s in hospital or attending a doctor’s appointment it is Nathan’s music he listens to, keeping him upbeat and cheerful. So, it was no surprise to his parents that his wish was to meet his music idol.
Jack’s wish will be the 3,000th wish that Make-A-Wish® Ireland has granted, since its inception in 1992. And like every wish, we pulled out all the stops to ensure Jack had the best experience possible. Country music’s brightest star, Nathan Carter, returned to Cork Opera House on Friday, 30th June for what was an unforgettable show where he, and his band lit up the stage with all his classic hits and together with his family, Jack was a VIP at the Opera House to watch the star perform. Jack arrived at the concert in full VIP style, travelling by limousine to Cork Opera House from the Silver Springs Hotel where earlier that day he had a private audience with Nathan Carter. For over an hour, Nathan chatted to Jack, and the two played guitar together and sang some of Nathan’s big hits. Jack couldn’t contain his joy.
Jack’s mum, Michelle, said, “It was totally amazing. Nathan called out Jack’s name in the crowd and put the spotlight on him. Everyone at the venue cheered for him – the whole day was just out of this world! Jack is here now, playing his guitar, listening to one of the 3 CDs he got.”
Make-A-Wish CEO, Susan McQuaid O’Dwyer attended the wish. She said, “We fully believe in the potential that can be achieved through music and collaboration, and today I saw first hand how music and a special personality, in Nathan Carter, positively impacted our 3,000th wish child, Jack and his family. It was a day they will never forget. Jack has made an impression on Nathan and felt like a star himself as he performed hits with the country singer and got to experience the limelight. I saw how important music is to Jack and his mum, Michelle, mentioned that his hospital appointments will be less of a hardship having this special time to look back on as he listens to his music and remembers this special day.”
