The atmosphere as the children gather in the hotel at Heathrow on the afternoon before the trip is electric. Many of them haven’t experienced a proper holiday before; few will have been able to travel abroad, away from their doctors and carers, and none of them have any idea of the excitement, fun and thrills they will have in the next eight days. As the parents leave their children in the care of Dreamflight, it's time to make new friends at the pre-departure party. Even the 'quiet, shy' children we've been told about become mysteriously noisy and extrovert!

During the long flight the party atmosphere onboard sets the scene for the week to come and the drive from the airport to the hotel is straight out of the movies, with our friends from the Orange County Police blocking all the roads and giving our convoy of coaches a high speed escort straight to the hotel. The days that follow are sheer magic; there's something for everyone. Walt Disney’s Magic Kingdom is just that and the fun, fantasy and glamour on show has every child wide-eyed and delighted. The days spent at Universal Studios, Islands of Adventure and MGM studios give the kids a chance to immerse themselves in their favourite films and meet their favourite characters– Spiderman scares and thrills in equal measure, while another group is flying 'Back to the Future' in the most thrilling ride imaginable. ET, Men in Black, Shrek, Jaws and the Muppets all help to fill these amazing days.

Then of course comes the great favourite – Discovery Cove where all the children experience the once-in-a-lifetime thrill of swimming with real, live dolphins. It’s hard to imagine anything more touching than the joy on the children’s faces as they meet these gentle, friendly creatures. It can be difficult for an outsider to believe that the happy and lively children they see laughing their way around the theme parks have any problems in life. But find time to talk to them about their life experiences and you can't help but be impressed and humbled by their courage. Those who do get the chance to meet these children, and hear their stories, understand exactly how important a holiday like Dreamflight is to them.