Frome ten-year-old’s bravery helps raise over £75,000 for charity

A BRAVE 10-year-old boy has helped secure over £75,000 for a charity that makes wishes come true for children with life-threatening illnesses.

Dillon Chapman, who is a pupil at St Louis School in Frome, has Neurofibromatosis type 1, a progressive illness where tumours grow on nerve tissue, compressing vital organs. He has helped secure over £75,000 for Make A Wish Foundation, a charity that grants wishes of children with life-threatening conditions and his bravery has inspired others to donate to the cause.

Dillon was granted a wish by the foundation in 2009 when he met MotoGP star Dani Pedrosa. Following the first meeting, Dani promised to meet Dillon once a year, one that holds true as Dillon prepares to meet his hero for the fifth time later this year. Since then, Dillon has appeared in seminars with Kevin Green, a self-made millionaire who is an ambassador with Make A Wish Foundation to talk about his experience, illness and how the charity has helped him.

Dawn, Dillon’s mother said, “I may be a little bit biased, but Dillon is a very brave boy with a bright personality.

“Dillon has a tumour in his left leg. He decided all by himself that he wanted his left leg amputated so that on his 18th birthday he can ride a motorbike, using a prosthetic limb, like his hero Dani.

“The foundation has asked if I and my husband Mark would like to talk at seminars, but Dillon does it all by himself. After the first seminar, an auction was held which raised £62,000 for the charity.

“On average it costs around £4,000 to make one wish come true. The foundation aims to give out ten wishes a day so it is very expensive. But it is such an amazing charity. The memories we have of Dillon meeting Dani will stay with us forever.”

Dawn added, “We will be with Kevin Green again at a seminar in June so Dillon can talk about his experience with the Make A Wish Foundation. It has a knock-on effect, people hear Dillon’s story, then they tell other people and it helps generate vital cash for the charity.”

Dillon was also awarded a highly commended position in the Somerset Youth Awards for all of his charity work.