EDITION 22

CHARITY PREMIERE VIP GUESTS
Exclusive!

Pirates Adventure Charity Premiere is a ‘must-attend’ date in many island residents’ calendars. This year on Sat May 3rd, the Pirates are attempting to raise €100´000 with another star studded evening of incredible acrobatics, daring stunts, gorgeous girls and bottles of grog. But it’s not about the celebs and the parties, it’s really about the kids from Great Ormond Street Hospital – they’re the real VIPs. Every year Pirates Adventure teams up with Thomson to provide a holiday of a lifetime for kids, who have been treated at the hospital, and their families. This year, Pirates Beach Bar will host the pre-show meal, and Golf Fantasia will hold its annual mini golf tournament for the kids, families, celebs and pirates cast. Pirates also manage to rustle up some fantastic auction and rafffle prizes – all donated by local businesses, and if you can’t make it to the premiere you can still buy tickets for the raffle (they’re on sale all over the island at only €5 a ticket).

This year, Pirates Adventure Show are specifically working on the Theatre for Theatres appeal. It’s a new initiative to help treat children with complex neurological and craniofacial conditions by funding state-of-the-art operating theatres within a new children’s Centre for Neurosciences. The Neurosciences unit at Great Ormond Street Hospital is the largest paediatric neurosciences centre in the UK providing care for children with disabilities, tumours and diseases affecting the central nervous system such as epilepsy, craniofacial disorders and cancers. However, the demand for neurosurgery already outstrips current capacity, particularly for delicate and potentially life-changing epilepsy surgery. In order to further their pioneering treatment and research programmes, the hospital must provide world-class facilities to match the calibre of its staff and the expectations of the children and families affected.

Great Ormond Street Hospital is planning to build a new, state-of-the-art, Centre for Neurosciences in which two neurosurgery operating theatres will be housed. The new centre will allow the hospital to treat up to 20% more children and, in contrast to the present facilities, will offer a well-designed, child-friendly space for patients, families and staff. It is their first trip abroad for many of the kids and families and often follows a positive turning point in the health of the child. This year, nine kids and their families will be coming to spend a memorable break in the sun. It’s easy for us to take Mallorca for granted, but imagine the happiness and great memories these families will take away with them, especially when you know a little about what they’ve gone through in their short lives. Here are 3 of there stories...

• Abbie Ryan (pictured), is 8, and from Glasgow in Scotland. She was born with a rare condition (bladder extrophy, where the bladder forms outside the body). She had a major corrective operation at just 1 day old in her local hospital but was then transferred to Great Ormond Street Hospital a year on when her condition deteriorated. Abbie has been through three major surgeries at a very young age and despite daily treatment is now doing very well, and attends school.

• Ben Hayes (pictured with balloons), is 4, and from Belfast in Northern Ireland. He underwent emergency bowel surgery when he was just a day old and had further surgery just three days later at the Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children. His complex heart condition required the expert care only available at Great Ormond Street Hospital in London. After initial consultations with Great Ormond Street specialists via teleconference links, Ben was flown to London for heart surgery the day before his first birthday. Ben is a lively little boy and loves going to nursery and playing with his big brother.