What is Beyond The Wish?
Beyond The Wish is our series that explores the long-lasting and meaningful impact of a wish, years after it has been granted.
Dylan sheds bad memories in his chill-out room
Surgery to remove a brain tumour left Dylan legallly blind and unable to go visit his mates. Now with his chill-out shed, they can come to him
'He didn't want to go out anymore'
Dylan was left legally blind after the 2021 operation to remove a tumour from his brain.
And while his mates would catch up at the pub or other places, Dylan had to constantly decline their invitations to join them.
With his poor sight, Dylan would keep knocking into people when he was out in public.
“People would react badly and very negatively towards him,” said Dylan’s mum, Rachel.
“It was just so unfair. He didn’t want to go out anymore.”
Laughs aplenty in shed
Dylan’s wish was 'to have my own space to hang out with my mates'.
His friends now come and reconnect in Dylan’s self-described “chill-out room”.
“It has helped us bond,” Dylan said. “We can just kick back. Have a yarn with each other, have a laugh, have a drink, and play a few games of darts.”
Rachel said she felt relieved the shed had put an end to Dylan’s feelings of isolation.
“For a while, he just wouldn’t see certain mates,” she said.
“But the shed has given Dylan’s mates the chance to come around and hang out with Dyl."
The shed has brought everyone closer together.
Rachel, Dylan's mum
Family bonds strengthened
Rachel said Dylan’s shed had also helped strengthen relationships within the family.
“It has improved Dylan’s relationship with everyone in the family but especially Blake, the 12-year-old grandson of Dyl’s stepfather, Tim,” Rachel said.
“Dyl and Blake (pictured) don’t usually do much together but are hanging out a bit more than usual in the shed. It’s like they are brothers, they are extremely close now."
“They've been going out to the shed after dinner and hanging out with each other.”
Grateful for Make-A-Wish
Rachel said she was appreciative of Make-A-Wish’s constant gestures, including sending Christmas cards to Dylan.
“We can’t be more grateful for the whole Make-A-Wish experience,” he said.
“It's changed our lives.”
