A Sidmouth teen battling a brain tumour had a dream come true when a charity whisked her off to London for the Royal Variety Show.
Make-a-Wish treated Charlotte Reid and parents Angela and Steve to afternoon tea at the Shard and a pamper session before the likes of Robbie Williams, Sting and Lady Gaga took to the stage.
The 16-year-old’s life was ‘turned upside down’ by her diagnosis in July 2015 and she has since been raising awareness of her rare condition, craniopharyngioma.
“It was amazing – a very special day,” said Angela. “It was everything Charlotte could have wanted. They treated her like a princess.
“She has short-term memory problems, so she remembers the Royal Variety Show, but we don’t know how much. It was great it was on TV - so she will never forget it.”
Charlotte’s benign brain tumour has also limited her growth and impaired her vision. She is no longer at Sidmouth College and now studies at the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital (RD&E). After everything she has been through, Charlotte is keen to complete her exams so she can work in healthcare.
The RD&E played a key role in how her trip to London came about. Hospitals tell Make-a-Wish about any children they treat who suffer from life-threatening conditions.
Britain’s Got Talent superfan Charlotte told the cause in February her dream was to see the Royal Variety Show – and she had been looking forward to it all year.
The family were driven round in a limo, pampered at Covent Garden and enjoyed afternoon tea at the Shard before the show. They also enjoyed an after-party banquet at the iconic Dorchester Hotel.
“I know she will talk about it for years to come,” said Angela. “I want to say a massive thank-you to Make-a-Wish.”
Charlotte has been sharing her story with more than 3,500 followers on Facebook.
After an ‘exhausting’ day, she said she thought she would ‘sleep until Christmas’.
Charlotte has been using the exposure to raise £20,000 for a centre at Plymouth University that specialises in low-grade brain tumours in teenagers.
The total currently stands at £1,339. Visit www.justgiving.com/fundraising/Angela-Reid11.
The Royal Variety Show was screened on ITV on Tuesday.
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