Egremont boy left blind from brain tumour surgery goes to Florida

Charlie Reid spent 10 nights in the theme park capital of the world after being put forward by doctors at the Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle for Dreamflight - a charity which takes children with a serious illness or disability on their holiday of a lifetime.

The 12-year-old of Egremont, underwent two life-saving surgeries at the RVI last year to remove a four-inch tumour that was discovered in the back of his head.

Charlie Reid before travelling to Florida with Dreamflight (Image: Submitted)

He was left completely blind following the second surgery but has adjusted well.

The West Lakes Academy pupil receives regular brain scans to monitor any growth in a tiny amount of tumour that was left behind following surgery.

During a scan in May, it was discovered that the tumour had grown from 11mm to 19mm and Charlie underwent further surgery in August, before travelling to Florida.

His dad, Howard Kirkbride, said scans following Charlie’s latest surgery have been clear.

Charlie Reid (far right) got to swim with dolphins at Discovery Cove in Orlando during the holiday with Dreamflight (Image: Dreamflight)

Mr Kirkbride said: “They seem to think they have got it all. The last scan was two weeks before he flew and it was still clear. They’ve never been clear.

“He’s still blind. If his sight was going to change, it would be in the first 12 months. It’s been 15 months so we’ve just come to grips with it now.”

Charlie travelled to Florida with a group of 190 children and their carers from all over the country. They stayed at Walt Disney World resort and visited the Disney parks, Universal Studios, Seaworld and Discovery Cove, where they swam with dolphins.

“They were treated like Kings,” Mr Kirkbride said. “Charlie loved it. He came back absolutely shattered.

Charlie Reid travelled to Florida with a group of 190 children and their carers after being put forward for Dreamflight by his doctors at the RVI in Newcastle (Image: Dreamflight)

“I was panicking two weeks before they went because the hurricane was causing havoc. They were shutting all the parks. It was all back to normal, six days before they went.

“The Dreamflight plane is catered for these kids and there were PlayStations, karaoke and games on the plane. The coaches they went on were like nothing I’ve seen before. There were tellies, a fridge, food galore.

“Charlie loved the rides in Seaworld and swimming with dolphins, stingrays and turtles at Discovery Cove.

“I don’t know how we’ll beat that next year!”