Barney Gardner, 14, has a condition called lissencephaly which is characterized by smooth brain surfaces and has been able to spend Sunday to Tuesday meeting some of his favourite Disney characters thanks to a partnership between Disney UK and Make-A-Wish UK. Disney UK and Make-A-Wish UK have joined forces to deliver A Disney Wish, a unique Disney experience that runs from June 5 to 15 for over 200 wish children from across the UK living with serious illness. Families have been welcomed to the event which takes place at Hoar Cross Hall, a hotel in Staffordshire, in three day cycles.
Barney’s mother Beverley Gardner, who is 45 and does support work for children with additional needs as well as supply work as a teaching assistant at Barney’s school, told the PA news agency she had a normal pregnancy and everything was “absolutely fine” until Barney turned six months old. “He started experiencing some seizures and he was about six months old when he got the diagnosis,” Mrs Gardner, who lives with her family in Ashton under Hill, in Worcestershire, explained. “We were told at that point that he would probably only live for two years as it is a life-limiting condition.
“He’s 14 now so we feel completely blessed that we’ve still got him and we live everyday to the max, we always look for opportunities and we’re always making memories.” Taking part in the experience came about because watching Disney is Barney’s “favourite pastime” and so his family wan.