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News

Disney dream for brave Herne Bay mum Kayleigh Duff as businessman helps

By: Chris Price

Published: 12:00, 23 May 2013

Kevin Rice with Kai and Kaleigh Duff

Disney World calls itself “the most magical place on Earth”, but a Land Rover garage is where a holiday dream has come true for a Herne Bay family.

Brave mum Kayleigh Duff, who has terminal liver cancer, is being whisked off to the Florida resort after a friend pulled a few strings with one of her clients at the motor dealership.

Sarah Holness told businessman Kevin Rice about her friend’s illness, a hereditary gene defect which also killed her father, Lee, aged 37.

Mr Rice pledged to help the family, who have already had thousands of pounds raised on their behalf by the community.

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And now he has paid for a two-week stay at a villa just a stone’s throw from Disney World.

It means Kayleigh, 23, can realise her dream to take her two-year-old son Kai to the resort so he can have happy memories of his mum later in life.

“When you have got someone going through what she is going through, it is one of those things you just feel you need to do something about..." - Kevin Rice

It is another wish ticked off Kayleigh's bucket list after she was given a dream 'wedding' by friends last month.

Kayleigh said: “We are so grateful. We wouldn’t have been able to do this without everyone’s help.

"We are so excited. Kai knows we are going on a plane and he keeps saying that.

“It is a big country and there will be so much to do.

“I can’t wait. My sister has swum with dolphins and I would like to do that.”

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Property developer Mr Rice, 45, of Scragged Oak Road, Detling, said: “When you stand there with Kayleigh and her kid, it is very humbling.

“She is a lovely girl, a very attractive young lady with a lovely boy and a nice family.

“When you have got someone going through what she is going through, it is one of those things you just feel you need to do something about.

"If it makes them happy then that’s what counts.”

Kayleigh, of Wye Green, Herne Bay, is due to fly out on June 2 with Kai, her mother Beverley, 46, sister Jade, 25, and her son Harley, three.

The trip is still dependent on getting the OK from doctors, which is expected to be given.

Sarah Holness, Kevin Rice, Kai and Kaleigh Duff and Beverley Cox

After giving up chemotherapy treatment last month, Kayleigh has put on some weight and her spirits have lifted.

She said: “I feel much better when I am not on chemo. I feel like my normal self.”

Beverley added: “Kayleigh is more relaxed now. She seems happy.”

The family are off to the Royal Marsden hospital to see a cancer specialist tomorrow (Friday) to see what other options there are for Kayleigh’s treatment.

Beverley said: “We will be looking at what trials they have and if there is anything they can try. It is a bit of an experiment now.”

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