Belfast girl with health condition enjoys life-changing charity holiday

Annalise Cunningham Nugent was selected for a ten day trip to America

Annalise got to go to Universal Studios in Florida where she met Scooby Doo character Velma
Author: Tara GriffithsPublished 9th Nov 2024

A young Belfast girl who suffers from crohn's disease is paying tribute to staff at the Royal Victoria Hospital, who nominated her to travel to America for a charity-funded trip.

12-year-old Annalise Cunningham Nugent spent ten days in the USA, organised by Dreamflight.

The charity picks children living with serious illness to join the holiday to the US.

Annalise tells us about her experience of swimming with dolphins in Florida:

"It was unimaginable I never knew I was going to go in such a place like that.

"I never knew that I was going to see a dolphin in real life, I never knew that was going to happen.

"It was very entertaining because we got to see tricks that the dolphin did.

"It was very, very good."

Annalise travelled to America for ten days with charity Dreamflight

Annalise was diagnosed with the condition when she was seven.

She attends hospital every four weeks for treatment and says her gastro nurse Tracey put her forward for the trip.

Annalise's mum Kimberly told us her daughter had 'the time of her life' in Florida:

"It's been amazing, absolutely amazing.

"Let alone for a child to go to Florida but for your own to get picked to go is an amazing opportunity and from what I've heard it's been amazing.

"I can't thank them (Dreamflight) enough, it's been a real good opportunity for her to go and what they done for us is amazing."

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