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What does Dreamflight do? Dreamflight is not just a holiday, it does something that medicine can't. The children leave their families behind giving them an opportunity to discover independence, confidence, and a whole new outlook on life. Often for the first time, these children realise that they are not alone, and they are not the odd one out. They see children around them who have also suffered, they gain perspective, and experience things they never thought possible. How are the children chosen? Dreamflight children are between the ages of 8 and 14 and are currently, or have been, seriously ill. Our aim is to select deserving children who will gain a real and lasting benefit from Dreamflight. We look for children whose problems have made their lives so difficult, so unpleasant, that they simply deserve a special treat like this. We invite medical professions throughout the UK to nominate children who they feel will benefit from Dreamflight. Our Medical Director - a paediatric consultant - ultimately decides who will be offered a place on the trip, but we don't let medical problems get in the way of having fun. Who accompanies the children? Dreamflight children are arranged into 12 regional groups from across the UK, each with eight boys and eight girls. There is an adult escort for every two children and each group is headed up by a Group Leader who is a very experienced Dreamflight volunteer. The escorts in each group always include a doctor, a physiotherapist, and three nurses, with the remaining places being filled by non-medical helpers, people who have supported Dreamflight throughout the year. The trip itself! As the parents leave their children in the care of Dreamflight, it's time to make new friends at the pre-departure celebrity party. The party atmosphere onboard the flight sets the scene for the week to come. On arrival in Orlando, the drive from the airport to the hotel is straight out of the movies, with our friends from the Orange County Police closing all the roads, and giving our convoy of coaches a high speed escort straight to our hotel. The days that follow are sheer magic; there's something for everyone. Walt Disney’s Magic Kingdom, Universal Studios, Islands of Adventure and SeaWorld, all give the children a chance to immerse themselves in their holiday of a lifetime - the fun, thrills, adventure, and excitement on show, has every child wide-eyed and delighted. It can be difficult for an outsider to believe that the happy and lively children they see laughing their way around the theme parks have any problems in life. But find time to talk to them about their life experiences and you can't help but be impressed and humbled by their courage. Those who do get the chance to meet these children, and hear their stories, understand exactly what Dreamflight means to them.