Dream come true for eight-year-old Flintshire cancer sufferer after meeting football hero Ryan Giggs

AN EIGHT-year-old cancer suffer saw his dream come true when he met his hero, Ryan Giggs.

Ryan Dodd, from Mancot, who was actually named after the Manchester United legend, was given the chance to meet his idol thanks to the children’s charity Make-A-Wish.

Ryan was diagnosed with Acute lymphoblastic leukaemia in 2014.

After months of chemotherapy, blood transfusions and taking part in a clinical trial, Ryan’s family applied for a wish to give him something positive to look forward to.

The Make-A-Wish charity arranged for Ryan to meet Giggs – and much more.

Ryan, along with his mum, Dawn Wilcock, and his uncle, Stuart Warner, were picked up by a limousine and driven in style to Old Trafford.

They were given a tour of the stadium before meeting Giggs, now United’s assistant manager, at the training ground.

Ryan said: “I sat in Giggsy’s seat in the stadium and at the megastore I bought a football shirt with my Make-A-Wish spending money,and I’m going to frame it to put up in my bedroom.”

He was absolutely stunned when Giggs came to meet him, give him a tour, sign his new shirt and pose for pictures.

Ryan was shown the team’s changing rooms where he met his another idol – club captain, Wayne Rooney.

Giggs said to the Deeside youngster: “It was an absolute pleasure to grant your wish today. I hope you enjoyed it too. Just keep your eye on the ball and keep practising [football] every day if you can.”

Dawn said her son had had such a tough year but added: “It was absolutely amazing to see him enjoy himself.

“All the nurses at Alder Hey tease him for being named Ryan and wearing his Man United shirt because they’re all Liverpool or Everton fans, but he sticks to his guns.

“Now he’s got even more kit to show them – they’re going to love seeing his new Giggsy shirt and Wayne Rooney’s autograph.”

Dawn added: “Make-A-Wish have been absolutely fantastic from start to finish. Ryan was really spoilt.

“I think the wish will really have an impact on his confidence because it meant the world to him to meet his hero.

“Ryan’s word for the day of the wish was ‘awesome’. There have been times when he’s been too poorly to move much at all.

“So to see him going outside every day kicking a ball since we met Ryan Giggs is wonderful.”

Anyone wanting to make a donation to Make-A-Wish can visit www.make-a-wish.org.uk or call 01276 405060.