Children’s wishes of meeting Hollywood A-listers comes true

Two boys had their wish come true after meeting Hollywood stars at the European Gala Celebration of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 as guests of honour at the glitzy event.

Ollie Montgomery, 14, from Banbridge in Northern Ireland and Oliver Goss, 10, from West Sussex, who are both huge Guardians of the Galaxy fans, had their wish made into a reality by Disneyland Paris and Make-A-Wish, the charity which grants wishes for critically ill children.

Through the generosity of The Walt Disney Company and Disneyland Paris, the boys and their families got to mingle with the stars, meeting Chris Pratt and Zoe Saldaña, famed for their roles as Star-Lord and Gamora in the world-renowned movie franchise.

Ollie, who was diagnosed with leukaemia at just 11-years-old and had to endure a three-and-a-half-year treatment journey, was ecstatic about the wish which didn’t take him long to choose!

“Ollie absolutely loves Guardians of the Galaxy so this has been the most wonderful celebration for him and his sister Poppy and has really helped us close the door on a truly horrid time for our family,” said Ollie’s Mum Kate. “They were so excited on the build-up to his special wish and to meet Hollywood stars was amazing and just unbelievably surreal. We can’t thank everyone enough for giving Ollie this most special couple of days.

“He’s been through so much so to see his face when he first saw Star-Lord was a moment of pure happiness we’ll all never forget. I just want to say a massive thank you to everyone who donates to Make-A-Wish UK for helping make Ollie’s and other children’s wishes come true – it really makes the most amazing difference.”

As part of the wish, the boys were also treated to the VIP Disney experience, including a stay at Disney’s Hotel New York – The Art of Marvel, parks tickets for the family, discovery of the Marvel Avengers Campus in Walt Disney Studios Park before going to the European gala screening in the evening. During all the weekend, they got to experience the attractions and shows of the two theme parks of Disneyland Paris.

On meeting the stars of the movie, Oliver, who was diagnosed with Gastroschisis, a type of abdominal wall defect where his bowel was on the outside of his body, said: “I couldn’t believe it when I got meet Star Lord! It’s been the most amazing weekend I could have ever wished for.”

Kerry Phillips, Wishgranting Team Leader at Make-A-Wish UK, said: “There are over 63,000 children just like Ollie and Oliver across the UK living with a critical condition. We believe that all eligible children deserve the benefits a wish can provide as it can bring light and joy to children and their loved ones during the darkest of times and help create magical memories that last a lifetime.”

Sara Hanson, Director, Enterprise Social Responsibility at Disney UK said ‘We are incredibly proud of our long-standing partnership with Make-A-Wish. The wishes granted at the Disneyland Paris gala screening of Guardians of the Galaxy are a perfect example of how together, we work to create Moments that Matter for children living with life-limiting or life-threatening illnesses.’

Disney is one of the largest wish granters for Make-A-Wish across the globe, having fulfilled more than 145,000 wishes globally. Since 1992, more than 20,000 wishes have been granted at Disneyland Paris in partnership with more than 45 organizations across Europe.

To support Make-A-Wish UK, please visit www.makeawish.org.uk.

Media contact

Simon Henry
Make-A-Wish UK Communications
[email protected]
07786 650922
Make-A-Wish UK, 7th Floor, Thames Tower, Station Road, Reading, RG1 1LX

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About Make-A-Wish UK

Every day, the lives of 10 families in the UK are changed forever when a child is diagnosed with a serious illness. From that moment, childhood takes a backseat to medical appointments and worry. A wish helps to restore that childhood and puts worry on the backseat. It provides an opportunity to choose something positive to look forward to and the chance to be a child first and a patient second.

Make-A-Wish UK is a registered charity that was established in the UK in 1986 to support children and young people diagnosed with a serious illness or life-limiting condition, by granting them their dearest wish. The charity receives no Government funding - registered charity numbers: 295672 in England and Wales, SC037479 in Scotland.

Notes to editors

We do not use the phrase ‘terminally ill’ and ask that you follow suit because some poorly children and young people are not made aware of the exact nature of their diagnosis and we respect their family’s approach to their situation. Some also recover fully from their illness.

Please refer to us as Make-A-Wish^® UK in the first instance to distinguish us from affiliates in other countries. Thereafter ‘Make-A-Wish’ is suitable.

Please hyperlink to our website (https://www.make-a-wish.org.uk) when you mention Make-A-Wish online.

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