Ryan

Age 16

Butterwick House Children's Hospice

"Peter Petrelli"

Ryan is 16 years old and has Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Ryan has been visiting Butterwick House for two years and in that time has made some very good friends.

For This is my hero Ryan chose Peter Petrelli from the American science fiction drama series Heroes. Peter Petrelli portrays a hospice nurse in his mid twenties with the power to absorb and mimic the powers of other people with special abilities and powers. Peter is given the special message ‘save the cheerleader, save the world' by a Japanese character with the power to manipulate time and space. When asked why he had chosen this character Ryan said: "Because he has been through so much and still manages to stay on the good side."

Ryan's mum, Debbie said: "When Ryan goes to the Butterwick, it gives us a chance to do things with our other three boys that we can't do when Ryan is with us, things that other families take for granted like going to the seaside. Butterwick is worth its weight in gold to our family and although I once thought I'd never see the day I would use it, I now dread the day that we can't."

Please note this case study (images and copy) must not be used or replicated in any other form without prior consent from Children's Hospices UK. 

This artwork is on card and measures 420mm wide, by 300mm high.