'It's like a dream come true': 82 deserving children to travel to Disneyland Paris 

Imagine belonging to a club that takes to the skies, bringing you over the rainbows, travelling through cotton wool clouds to a magical place where your dreams become a reality.

“Going to Disney is like a dream come true,” says Harper-Ellen Costello, aged five, whose house burned down in March, and who is one of 82 well-deserving children travelling to Disneyland Paris with the Cork City Hospitals Children’s Club (CCHCC) on September 23.

“It’ll be so much fun, and I am looking forward to eating lots of ice-cream,” says Harper-Ellen.

Thing are looking up for the little girl and her mum Kelly after a tough six months.

Kelly’s partner Dylan, who rescued the mother and daughter from the fire, died a few days later.

“The trip is one of the things helping us through a tough time,” says Kelly.

“Fortunately, we have a lovely new house now near Harper-Ellen’s school.”

The youngster is delighted.

“I love my new room and my new bed!” she says. “And I’ll love my bed at the hotel!”

Turning dreams into reality takes a determined and skilled person. Chairperson of CCHCC for 40 years, John Looney, has been pulling the rabbit out of the hat, organising trips to Disneyland Paris for well deserving children for 30 years.

“My daughter, Pamela, 41 now, who has two tumours in her spine, travelled with another organisation when she was attending Crumlin as a little girl,” says John.

“We travelled with her from Cork on a bus to see Santa, organised by the Bubble Gum Club. The trips were welcome but often long and arduous with children being sick on the journey, the fogged-up windows in the bus didn’t help either.

“So I got the idea to set up our own children’s hospital club here in Cork. We have been travelling to Disneyland every year now since our first trip to Lapland in 1994.”

Apart from providing the magic, the wonderful fairytales, and the sense of wonder; what else do the Disneyland trips provide for the children, their families and the volunteers?

“These trips also provide an opportunity for children to meet and talk with each other and know that they are not alone,” says John.

“Some kids, such as accident survivors, carry significant emotional trauma, and these trips help them forget, even for a little while.”

John always remembers the smiles he sees from his fellow travellers.

“I’ve travelled to Disney 36 times!” he laughs.

“Bringing the smiles back to the faces of sick and deserving children is what it’s all about.

“Going to Disneyland is like our very own Christmas.”

At the International Hotel Cork on a rainy morning last Saturday, the Disney party had already started as the 82 children nominated this year from CCHCC to go on the magical trip to Disneyland in Paris were collecting their kit and gear bags.

Nobody ever gets tired of partying and bringing on the magic.

“Each trip just gets better and better,” says Bróna Kingston, a retired children’s nurse who is kitted out in her party gear ahead of the countdown.

The Magic Kingdom beckons.

“You never get tired of seeing the children’s faces light up at Disneyland,” says Bróna.

“When they experience the Light Show, or meet the Disney characters, you see pure joy on their faces. The aim is to keep them having fun - and they do!”

Having fun takes effort sometimes.

“I clocked up more than 46,000 steps every day the last time we went!” says Bróna.

Oran Halloran, aged eight, from Whites Cross, who has type 1 diabetes, always has fun swimming, doing taekwondo, and playing GAA.

Disneyland is the icing on the cake.

“Oran’s dad, Seamus, passed away on Oran’s fifth birthday,” says Amy, Oran’s mum. “Seamus would be 46 today.”

He would be delighted for his son heading off to the Magical Kingdom and he’d be thrilled to know that Oran raised €700 for Diabetes Ireland when he took part in a Mini Marathon in Dublin in June.

“And I collected money in my class,” says Oran.

What’s the best part about going to Disneyland Paris?

“I can tell the nurses in the Sea Horse clinic all about it!” he says.

“Oran is a real little trooper,” says Amy.

“He doesn’t let his diabetes infringe on his happy childhood. The mobile pump always attached to his body, is part of his person. He hardly takes any notice of it.”

Oran knows his airlines.

“My favourite is Aer Lingus!” he announces.

When the end of her invasive surgeries was announced, 16-year- old Shirley Ross was in celebration mode.

“I had multiple bowel surgeries since I was very young,” says Shirley, who did her Junior Cert in June. “I was born with a twisted bowel.

“The nurses in CUH and in Crumlin were like sisters to me.”

Molly, Shirley’s sister, is getting on the magic train too. So Disneyland will be a girlie trip along with mum?

“Yes, it will!” says Shirley, who has dreams of her own. “I want to be a paediatric nurse.”

Aoileann Uíbheag, aged 15, who is a person with Down Syndrome and has complex medical needs, and is tube-fed, dreams of riding Thunder Mountain when she touches down at Disneyland Paris.

Isn’t that ride a bit scary?

“Aoileann has no fear,” says Mum, Cait.

Lile, aged eight, and Maidhc, 11, like their big sister, have no fear either.

“I want to ride the RC racer car,” says Maidhc.

He wants to do something else.

“We can tell our sister Ciana all about the rides in the park when we come back.”

Ciana stepped in and took care of her younger siblings as their sister faced an agonising battle in hospital.

Volunteer nurse with CCHCC, Christine O’Sullivan, who works in the Puffin Ward at CUH, knows all about the battles children face in hospital.

“I’m 29 years looking after kids,” says Christine.

“I know Aoileann since she was a tiny baby. So we’re flying off together again! Disney is magic for everyone.”

The parents become kids again.

“The parents have a chance to switch off while their kids experience the magic,” says Christine.

The nurses come under the magical spell too.

“I’ll be a little kid again myself!” says Christine.

It’s a kind of magic being in the midst of all the excited children, who have shown resilience and bravery in the face of adversity, many of whom leave behind the sterile medical world to enjoy a different make-believe world for four days, making precious memories forever.

There’s another kind of magic going with the CCHCC trip to Disneyland Paris.

“Each day, everyone will get €40 to spend,” says John.

“And they will get €30 to spend on the fourth day.”

Are there any conditions attached to the pay-out?

“Only that there is no money to come home!” says John.

With food being served from Buffalo Bills and the Chuck Wagon, it’s a matter of thrills and spills at Disneyland Paris.

“It costs €1,460 for each person to travel to Disneyland Paris,” says John.

“We are a voluntary organisation that depend on donations from fundraisers.

“When we come back from this trip, we already begin planning the next one.”

Heidi Smyth, a member of CCHCC, got her angel wings in 2018. Her dad, Andrew, is helping other sick children to wing their way to the Magical Kingdom. He hosts Heidi’s Day every year for charity.

“Andrew raised €4,660 for CCHCC,” says John.

“It is an amazing feat and an amazing gesture.”

There are questions about the trip invited from the floor.

A hand goes up at the back. It belongs to seven-year-old Jack.

“What’s your favourite ride, John?” John doesn’t blink.

“Thunder Mountain!” he says.

Even though he’s done it 36 times?

“That is true,” says John.

But then. It’s a kinda magic.