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The Mother of All Cons - Season 1 Episode 1
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Short filmTranscript
00:06maybe we can start with how would you describe the story oh I've tried to describe it it is
00:14just the wildest most bizarre story I mean it it's fiction but it's actually real and
00:25it actually happened oh yeah it's bonkers
00:37once upon a time a little girl lived with her mother in a small stone cottage on the edge
00:44of a great forest the little girl was poorly but all she thought about was helping other poorly
00:52children it's been the most incredible year really believe in magic has grown so much
01:00and more than really we ever dreamed it could
01:07Meg worked night and day to make dreams come true
01:14believe in magic was like no other charity it was more like a family
01:21I love magic Meg was a fairy godmother to all of those children every single child
01:31there was only two of them running this charity a mother and daughter then one day they found their
01:39prince charming and they told the whole world about believe in magic hi I'm Louie from one
01:48direction me and the boys have been working with Meg and Jean now for almost as long as you've been
01:53in band the power and might of one direction put this celebrity rocket under the feet of Meg and Jean
02:03and they did do unbelievable things together they raised thousands and thousands and thousands of pounds
02:13to sprinkle magic wherever it was needed but other people in the forest thought it was too good to be
02:25true
02:46you've thrown disgusting agitations us of one of the worst homes of our whole lives I don't know why you've
02:53done what you've done to us
02:55I hope so much that you'll see how well you've been
02:59not all fairy tales end happily ever after
03:16I never forget the first time I met Meg
03:19we were 10 years old two very small quiet well one quiet 10 year old and Meg
03:28it was the two of us against the world
03:32it was just a constant whirlwind of madness and chaos
03:37you never knew what to expect
03:41guys you've done all the right things to make your place here in the final
03:50one evening after X Factor Meg called me up
03:55said I've got this idea I'm going to start a charity
03:59it sounded completely insane
04:02but I knew that if that's what she wanted to do
04:05there was nothing anyone could say or do to stop her
04:09it just gave her something to focus on
04:12because she had brain tumour
04:15was in and out of hospital
04:17going through various tests and treatments
04:21she had big ideas from the get-go
04:23it was very early days for Twitter but there was a lot of celebrities on there
04:29all it would take is a couple of them to support the charity
04:33and it would get the word out there
04:39anytime someone remotely famous picked up on it she was just ecstatic
04:46but for Meg it's all about One Direction
04:52especially Harry Styles
04:54pink hearts appeared on screen around him for her
05:06the name Believer Magic
05:09stemmed from her love of Disney
05:12believing in the magic of the world around you
05:15and just being able to escape day-to-day life
05:18and know that bigger and better things are possible
05:26Meg made everyone believe in magic
05:30charity was just magical from the off
05:34I want you to go right back to the beginning
05:37did you have any idea how important
05:40Believer Magic would become in your life?
05:43No, never
05:48Hi Luna
05:59It's not as good of good news as we'd have hoped really I'm afraid
06:05The second we ended up in Great Ormond Street
06:07and we were told that Luna had a brain tumour
06:09everything changed
06:12We were living on the oncology ward
06:16it's very isolated
06:17it's very lonely
06:19I was incredibly vulnerable
06:23and I think the nurses referred us to the charity
06:26Believe in Magic
06:29and we received a wonderful invitation
06:32inviting us to a party at Hamley's
06:35Had you heard of Believe in Magic before?
06:38What did you know about the charity at that point?
06:41No, I knew nothing about the charity at all
06:47It was only ten minutes down the road from Great Ormond Street
06:50but it was just as far away as you could possibly get
06:55We pulled up and there was a red carpet
07:00It was just wow
07:04Over the years there was lots of Hamley's parties
07:08When we were invited
07:09they'd taken over the whole of Hamley's
07:11all three floors
07:12it was impressive
07:15there was all kinds of things going on
07:17and nothing like we'd ever been to before
07:25Anything a child could ever ask for or wish for was there
07:29It was like being in Disneyland
07:31and while you were there
07:33you didn't feel like a poorly child's parent
07:36This charity gave me a lifeline
07:39because you're desperate for answers
07:41and particularly when your child's got something so rare
07:43or even undiagnosed
07:45Daisy was our fourth child
07:49and we found out she had this syndrome
07:51caused by a sporadic demutation
07:56It's like so rare
07:57I think it's something like 1 in 1.25 million
08:01Friends you think are going to be friends
08:04just can't cope
08:07but you find your people
08:10There's a lot of love in this charity
08:12whereas some can be more formal
08:14this was more of a
08:16well they did
08:17they called themselves
08:18the Believe in Magic family
08:21Everything had been set up
08:22by Meg
08:24who had been very ill herself
08:26and knew what it was like
08:27and wanted to have treats for other children
08:32And this young excited teenager
08:35was supported and enabled by her mum
08:38to do these things
08:41Jean was very well spoken
08:43came across very educated
08:45a bit like meeting a head teacher
08:47if that makes any sense
08:50Great with people
08:51Very proud of what Meg was creating
08:54because she was her daughter
08:55and she was doing amazing things
09:01I remember thinking
09:02Meg is very much like a girl Peter Pan
09:05and she was so excited
09:08as excited as the children
09:11I was incredibly proud of everything
09:13that she was doing and achieving
09:15it was just remarkable to watch it
09:17all unfold and grow
09:20It's Sunday the 9th of October
09:22and this is Rebel Arena
09:24Welcome to BBC Radio 1's Teen Awards 2011
09:28Welcome to BBC Radio 1's Teen Hero Awards
09:30Is there someone that you know out there
09:32a really amazing person
09:34that the world should hear about?
09:35This is your chance to nominate them
09:37for a BBC Radio 1 Teen Hero Award
09:40I nominated Meg for the Teen Awards
09:42I just thought it was a nice thing
09:45to kind of put her up for
09:48We'd known each other since primary school
09:51and I saw what she was achieving online
09:54with the charity
09:55as well as juggling her illness
09:58She was probably the most impressive person I knew
10:02So BBC Radio 1's Teen Awards
10:03is your chance to celebrate the achievements
10:06of remarkable and inspirational teenagers
10:10She was ecstatic that she'd been nominated
10:12I was super happy for her
10:14and I got to go enjoy the Teen Awards
10:26She emailed two tickets to me
10:28two to Beth
10:29and then she was nowhere to be seen
10:32She was backstage
10:34with a mission
10:38She had these little purple wristbands made
10:40walked up to One Direction
10:42handed them a wristband and said
10:44this is my charity
10:45please wear this
10:47Louis Tomlinson, Harry Styles
10:50and all the One Direction boys
10:53really liked the message
10:55How can you not want to get involved?
10:59It is time for their first public performance ever
11:03Please welcome to the stage
11:05One Direction
11:07Hello, Rumble
11:09You guys are absolutely wonderful
11:14You're insecure
11:16Don't know what for
11:18To get them wearing these purple wristbands
11:20She was just ecstatic
11:30I loved One Direction
11:33I mean as did probably every teenage girl
11:35in the country at that point
11:43It just feels like their word is like absolute God
11:46like the things that they're interested in
11:48you're interested in
11:51I saw Harry's tweet about this new charity
11:54and this really amazing cause
11:56just followed
11:57and then
11:58that's kind of where it all started
12:03Meg became this massive part of the One Direction fandom
12:08This almost like mythical person
12:10that there was all this kind of buzz around
12:12because she was this like quite young person
12:14who had a brain tumour
12:15but doing all this stuff for charity
12:17and then the charity was just like growing and growing
12:20incredibly quickly
12:21Guys let them prove, guys let them prove
12:24A lot of people saw
12:25Believe in Magic as a way to like
12:27get closer to One Direction
12:28or to meet them
12:30Donate to Believe in Magic
12:31It is such a brilliant cause
12:33Sporting booth charity
12:34we all should buy the Believe in Magic
12:36wristband
12:37I remember when June and Meg told me
12:40about One Direction coming on board
12:41and things went crazy
12:44and it was brilliant marketing
12:46All of a sudden
12:48all of these young girls
12:49were then becoming involved
12:51in this
12:51this
12:52little charity
12:53Believe in Magic
12:54went global
12:57Hi, it's Louis from One Direction
12:58We've been working with Believe in Magic
13:00and we think Meg and the team
13:01are absolutely incredible
13:02Believe in Magic just felt like
13:04it had that really authentic
13:05connection to them
13:07they would do whatever she asked
13:09it felt like
13:10Donate below
13:11Thank you
13:17I got an email from
13:19Believe in Magic
13:20looking for people to run
13:21the Great South Run
13:22and raise money for them
13:24and I thought
13:25yeah, I can run
13:26I can raise money
13:28and that's when I met Meg and Beth
13:31for the first time
13:33The three of us had a lot in common
13:34and yeah, we just became
13:37really good friends
13:39Jean went to One Direction's mums
13:42We smashed that mountain
13:43Anne Twist, who was Harry Styles' mum
13:46climbed Mount Kilimanjaro
13:49to raise money for
13:51Believe in Magic
13:52It was genius
13:55Joanne Deacon, who was
13:57Louis Tomlinson's mum
13:58was throwing parties
13:59for Believe in Magic
14:01They were really involved
14:03because they're just trying
14:04to do really nice things
14:05and they're just trying
14:07to help vulnerable families
14:16Our second child, Corey
14:18was diagnosed with
14:20a particularly aggressive
14:22childhood cancer
14:25I would go online
14:27all hours
14:27looking for survivor stories
14:30looking for hope
14:34Believe in Magic
14:35opened up that world
14:37for parents
14:38when you're going through
14:39the most horrendous time
14:41of your life
14:42and that's what we were
14:43going through
14:44and you'd connect with
14:46other parents
14:46that understand
14:49It's not your normal friendship
14:51because it's not about
14:53your interests
14:54or their interests
14:55it's just about
14:55how best to help the child
15:00Adam was five years old
15:02when he was diagnosed
15:04with neuroblastoma
15:07It's the club
15:07that you would never
15:08ever choose to join
15:10but when you're in it
15:12with all the people
15:12going through the same
15:13thing at the time
15:14it's the most important
15:15thing ever
15:18You share their highs
15:20and you suffer their lows
15:24and it becomes
15:25all consuming
15:26it's the only thing
15:26that's important
15:32Hey Luna
15:33It's Mummy and Luna
15:37Are you kicking me
15:39off the sofa?
15:41Luna was our second child
15:43Did you have a nice sleepie?
15:46She was
15:48happy
15:49funny
15:50beautiful little girl
15:53She was our whole world
15:56Sorry
16:01It's fine
16:06When Luna passed away
16:08Jean was always there for me
16:13I wouldn't have thought
16:14anything of picking the phone
16:15up at two in the morning
16:16if I needed to cry
16:17and talk to her
16:20She would always say
16:21the right thing
16:22at the right time
16:26And it did feel special
16:28to know that someone
16:29cares so much
16:32She was a friend
16:36She did get me through
16:37a really dark time
16:39We just had an understanding
16:41of what it's like
16:42to have a really sick child
16:44and to be scared
16:45and not know
16:46what's going to happen
16:50I would chat with
16:51Jean
16:53Like me
16:54She'd been on a journey
16:57She was a little bit guarded
16:59about how much
17:01she would give away
17:03and I mean
17:03that's what a lot of us
17:05were like
17:05I know me particularly
17:06It was really hard for me
17:08to ever ask for help
17:09because it felt like
17:11as a parent
17:11that I was failing
17:15and there was a lot
17:16that she kept
17:17very close to herself
17:23With every other charity
17:24when a poorly child
17:26passes
17:27everything stops
17:29But with Meg and Jean
17:30the magic
17:31carried on
17:33It was coming up to Christmas
17:35Meg had sent
17:36this cryptic message
17:41About
17:42the most magical party
17:44It's a big surprise
17:46We would love Daisy
17:47to be involved
17:48and could you tell us
17:48her dress size?
17:52I wasn't looking forward
17:53to Christmas
17:54We'd only lost Luna
17:55four months earlier
17:56We didn't have the tree
17:57up at home
17:58I was trying to do my best
17:59to put on a brave front
18:00for the other kids
18:00and an invitation
18:02arrived in the post
18:03addressed to
18:04Princess Enza
18:05my daughter
18:07delighted to invite you
18:08to believe in magic's
18:10princesses at the palace
18:11And then I spoke
18:12to one of the friends
18:12and said
18:12we're actually going
18:13to Buckingham Palace
18:14She said
18:14yes we're going
18:15to Decoratory
18:15and have an afternoon
18:16to you with the princess
18:17OK
18:25The thing that made me
18:26laugh about Meg
18:26was just how
18:27nothing was too big
18:29if she thought about it
18:30and she wanted to do it
18:31she would completely
18:32focus on doing it
18:33and that just
18:34blew my mind
18:40We were all going
18:41to gather at the Langham
18:42which was their favourite
18:44five star hotel
18:47Increasingly
18:48the charity
18:49was cash rich
18:50and you can really
18:52see that
18:52as the connection
18:54with One Direction
18:55happened
18:55there was
18:56more and more
18:57money coming in
19:03and there's this rack
19:04with all these
19:05beautiful dresses
19:07all different colours
19:08made by
19:09the designer
19:10who had made
19:11Kate Middleton's
19:13bridesmaids dresses
19:16It was a complete
19:17step out of reality
19:23Meg and Jean were
19:24referred to as
19:25the fairy godmothers
19:26because it did feel
19:28like they could
19:29just make these
19:31things happen
19:32that nobody else
19:35was able to
19:36her fairy godmother
19:37appeared
19:38and gave her
19:39a beautiful gown
19:41now what about
19:42a carry
19:43and then this fleet
19:45of Bentleys
19:46arrived
19:46it was insane
20:05I will never forget
20:07going through the gates
20:08of Buckingham Palace
20:09and tourists are
20:10photographing
20:11because they think
20:11it's some royal family
20:13visit or something
20:16and Daisy had
20:17her invitation
20:18and she's waving
20:20and she loved
20:22that
20:22she just played
20:23to the crowds
20:30You're kind of
20:31looking down
20:32these corridors
20:32that you only see
20:33on TV
20:38and then Princess
20:39Eugenie
20:39walks into the room
20:41she was lovely
20:43she was just
20:44so natural
20:46it was just like
20:47a normal afternoon
20:48with a princess
20:50in a palace
20:52I think everyone
20:52stole a toilet roll
20:54it was mad
20:56we were in Buckingham
20:57Palace decorating
20:58the tree
20:59and Enza had made
21:00a decoration
21:00of a little moon
21:03and they allowed
21:03Enza to hang that
21:05on the tree
21:05so there was
21:06a little moon
21:07for Luna
21:08hanging on the
21:09Buckingham Palace
21:10Christmas tree
21:12good girl
21:13have you been
21:14practicing
21:14hi
21:15I think you have
21:16I believed in magic
21:18100%
21:19Jean and Meg
21:21made me believe
21:22in magic
21:26Meg would quite often
21:28disappear during events
21:29and she'd go and sit
21:31she'd be in like
21:31a back room
21:32or something
21:34Meg put on this
21:35public persona
21:37basically
21:37to try and hide
21:39just how ill she was
21:42it's the side of her
21:43that she really wanted
21:44to keep
21:45hidden as much
21:46as she could
21:48you could hear her
21:49coming a mile away
21:50because the glass
21:52bottles jangling
21:53together in her
21:53handbag
21:54and the pills
21:56well do you know
21:57what she took
21:58can you describe
21:58that to me
21:59what did you see
22:00I knew she was
22:01taking Oromorph
22:02because she used to
22:03drink it out of the
22:03bottle and I was
22:05familiar with Oromorph
22:06because Luna was on it
22:07what is it
22:08Oromorph is morphine
22:09it's liquid morphine
22:11it's very strong
22:12it's very addictive
22:14very bad for you
22:16and we always used
22:17to say to her
22:17Meg that stuff's
22:18going to kill you
22:34Summer 2014
22:37was the start
22:38of the end
22:40everything changed
22:41that summer
22:48first few years
22:49of her illness
22:50it was always
22:52when I'm better
22:53we're going to do
22:53everything that
22:54she was missing out on
22:57she'd had five years
23:00of treatment
23:00in the UK
23:01but not really
23:03made any progress
23:04if anything
23:05things had
23:05gotten worse
23:07and she's got
23:08operations scheduled
23:09for the end of summer
23:14Meg told us
23:16the operation
23:17was risky
23:18and dangerous
23:19to her
23:21and she
23:22believed
23:23that she wasn't
23:24going to survive
23:25the operation
23:32Meg was awake
23:34for the first part
23:37sending messages
23:39throughout
23:41and then
23:43just complete
23:43radio silence
23:46didn't hear
23:47anything
23:47from Meg or Gene
23:58and then
23:59Harry Styles tweets
24:01thinking of you
24:03Meg
24:05it went
24:06massive
24:09massive fear
24:11and panic
24:11kept building
24:12and building
24:13that actually
24:13this is it
24:15she's died
24:19so many people
24:20from all corners
24:22of the globe
24:22knew who Meg
24:24was
24:24because of
24:25One Direction
24:28we knew that
24:29Gene was very
24:30close with
24:31Anne
24:32Harry's mum
24:34and we were
24:35kind of thinking
24:36he's heard news
24:37from his mum
24:39who's heard it
24:39from Gene
24:40it was
24:42really
24:43really weird
25:03I was obviously
25:05very just relieved
25:06that she was still
25:07alive
25:09so Beth and I
25:10went to visit her
25:13she had a big valve
25:14coming out of her head
25:16hooked up to IVs
25:18and I mean
25:19she looked like
25:20someone who had
25:21been through
25:22major brain surgery
25:23she was obviously
25:24putting on a bit
25:25of a front
25:25about how she was
25:26actually doing
25:27but that was
25:28just Meg
25:29it's what she did best
25:32she told me
25:33that her condition
25:33was so rare
25:35and the tumour
25:36was growing
25:37and there was
25:38kind of nothing else
25:39that could be done
25:39to kind of shrink it
25:40or sort of stop it
25:41and it would
25:42kind of kill her
25:43eventually
25:46at that time
25:47a lot of the children
25:49from Believe in Magic
25:50were receiving
25:51treatment in America
25:52in America
25:53you would be able
25:54to access
25:55some other treatment
25:56that was potentially
25:57going to save you
26:02Adam our youngest
26:04was going through
26:05treatment for
26:06neuroblastoma
26:07we were fundraising
26:09for years
26:10we travelled
26:12to America
26:14back and forth
26:16for nine plus months
26:21the thing about
26:23going abroad
26:24for treatment
26:24is obviously
26:26you incur
26:26all costs
26:28at that point
26:30it can be catastrophic
26:32if your child
26:33develops
26:34you know
26:35a serious infection
26:36or you're talking
26:37you know
26:38tens
26:39if not hundreds
26:40of thousands
26:41of dollars
26:45December 2014
26:46myself
26:48and my friend
26:48and both our families
26:49we decide to meet up
26:51with Meg and Jean
26:52at the IV
26:53in London
26:56Meg had gained
26:57a lot of weight
26:58and her hair
26:59was very very thin
27:01she had
27:02like a very
27:05wide hairline
27:06she was very dark
27:06so it was very noticeable
27:08and she mentioned
27:10that her tumour
27:10was grown
27:11by 600%
27:13we literally doubled
27:14it was like
27:15what
27:15you know
27:16my friends and I
27:17were like
27:17okay
27:17what's
27:18what we're going to do
27:18what's the plan
27:19what have they suggested
27:20we need to help you
27:23Meg and Jean
27:24started
27:25this huge
27:26fundraiser
27:27to get
27:28Meg out
27:30to the US
27:31for proton bean therapy
27:34to try and shrink
27:35down this tumour
27:37I became aware
27:38of Help Save Meg
27:39because of
27:40social media
27:41people
27:42sharing it
27:44which is what happens
27:46this is an emergency
27:47appeal
27:48everybody is behind them
27:50and there's kind of
27:50a momentum
27:51to get them
27:52where they need to be
27:55we have to raise
27:56120,000
27:58and she needs it
27:59in two weeks
28:00it was just a shock
28:01like oh gosh
28:02I didn't realise
28:03that it was this serious
28:05there would be
28:06certain parents
28:07were sharing
28:08to all the known parents
28:09look we need to raise
28:10this money
28:11for our Meg
28:14we ourselves
28:15had gone out
28:17to the States
28:17for Daisy to be reviewed
28:18by the world experts
28:20on her syndrome
28:22because there was
28:23no way in the UK
28:24any of that
28:26could have been done
28:28a lot of the
28:29Believe in Magic families
28:31knew how important
28:32that charity was
28:34and now
28:35Meg needed something back
28:37and people wanted
28:37to give something back
28:39to Meg
28:42they did it
28:43and they did it
28:44really really quickly
28:46they raised
28:47£120,000
28:48in the space
28:49of a couple of days
28:52it was incredible
28:53I had never seen
28:55anybody raise
28:56that amount of money
28:57in that amount
28:58of time before
29:03and then
29:03two weeks later
29:05there's another update
29:06from Jean
29:06to say
29:07they've come home
29:09and they've not
29:10had the treatment
29:12unfortunately
29:13when we met
29:14with the radiation
29:16oncologist
29:16within minutes
29:17of reviewing the scan
29:18he could see
29:19that things
29:19were a lot more
29:20complicated
29:20and what we were
29:22facing was far worse
29:23than we thought
29:27there was a message
29:28about
29:28she wasn't a candidate
29:31that she'd been assessed
29:32and
29:33we weren't able
29:33to have the proton
29:34beam therapy
29:36because the tumour
29:37has grown tentacles
29:38and was wrapped
29:39around the optic nerve
29:40so therefore
29:40it was too dangerous
29:44and I'm just like
29:45yeah
29:46I get that
29:47I get that
29:48totally
29:50by this point
29:51Andy my husband
29:52was diagnosed
29:53with terminal cancer
29:55they found multiple tumours
29:57that had wrapped
29:57around his
29:58hepatic artery
30:00so it was
30:00inoperable
30:02so I knew
30:03how these things
30:04can happen
30:13so they'd come home
30:14and we're going to
30:15refund the money
30:16that's just what you do
30:17yeah
30:17she didn't have the treatment
30:18so you give the money back
30:21it was very different
30:22to anything that I knew
30:25obviously I'd been
30:26through my journey
30:27and I knew
30:28that you fundraise
30:29the money goes to
30:31like a trust
30:31who manage it
30:32and they pay
30:32your hospital bills
30:33I didn't understand
30:34how they were doing things
30:37it was just
30:38odd
30:39to say the least
30:42we've made
30:43the very difficult
30:43decision
30:44to come back
30:47they might have even said
30:49you know
30:50to continue
30:50to sprinkle magic
30:55and that's
30:56what they did
30:59it was
31:00unbelievable
31:05the Cinderella ball
31:06was at the
31:07natural history museum
31:11the 1D boys
31:13were there
31:13Louis and Liam
31:15were going to host it
31:17it did feel like
31:19you know
31:19Meg and Jean
31:20had made the big time
31:25I became involved
31:26in the parties
31:27after Luna
31:27had passed away
31:29just
31:31helping
31:33I think there may have been
31:34a little bit of jealousy
31:36because obviously
31:37we were at every party
31:38and I'm sure
31:40there were some families
31:40who perhaps
31:41may not have been invited
31:42to those parties
31:44it all seemed
31:45to be very
31:46sort of
31:46exclusive
31:47and who wouldn't
31:48have wanted a chance
31:49to have gone to
31:50this amazing ball
31:51with the world's
31:52biggest boy band
31:53so there was
31:54definitely jealousy
31:55among some of the parents
31:57like
31:57well why is it
31:58always those families
31:59is it because
32:00my kid's not cute
32:01or you know
32:03it's
32:03he's a boy
32:04or
32:05they don't fit the mould
32:06or they're not in
32:07with the in crown
32:08to the inner sanctum
32:10the children
32:11had handmade clothing
32:13I think the boys
32:14suits were made
32:15by Ralph Lauren
32:17it was out of this world
32:20the Cinderella ball
32:22was huge
32:23on social media
32:25and it was trending
32:26I tweeted
32:27wow amazing
32:28see One Direction
32:29at the Natural History Museum
32:30some of my friends
32:32kids are there
32:33you know
32:33these are sick kids
32:34what an amazing thing
32:35and then
32:36Jean messaged me
32:37she said
32:37could you take that down
32:38please
32:40because we don't want
32:41people to know
32:42that One Direction
32:42are there
32:42because all the fans
32:43or mobs are placed
32:44alright sorry Jean
32:48but you can't be
32:50doing these big events
32:51with Louis Tom's
32:53and not have that
32:55all over Twitter
32:57wow thank you very much
32:59everybody for coming
33:00it is an incredible
33:01privilege for me
33:02and my mum
33:03to help believe in magic
33:04the charity is
33:05absolutely incredible
33:06it's run by two people
33:08Donna and Dawson
33:08which I think
33:09is incredible
33:10it was organised
33:12by Louis
33:13and his mum
33:14I just think
33:15they were really lovely
33:16people who
33:18could see that
33:18they could do something
33:20and they did
33:21anyone here
33:23that knows Jean
33:23and Meg
33:24they believe in magic
33:25will need no introduction
33:26to their kindness
33:28they give their time
33:29for nothing
33:29they ask for nothing
33:31back
33:31they do everything
33:33themselves
33:36I felt really proud
33:37for Meg and Jean
33:40this is the biggest
33:42and the best
33:42and this is
33:43you know
33:43all of her ambitions
33:44have come together
33:45and it was exciting
33:46to be a part of that
33:53so when the Cinderella
33:54ball happened
33:55there were other families
33:57whose children
33:59didn't get invited
34:00that clearly created
34:02some
34:04upset
34:08parents said
34:09please
34:10can I
34:10come along
34:12and
34:13you know
34:14it was like
34:14no
34:14we can only
34:15choose the sickest
34:16children
34:17but it wasn't
34:19wheelchair accessible
34:20there were stairs
34:21and things
34:22and so there was
34:23a lot of sniping
34:24started to happen
34:25all these little
34:26people were contacting
34:27me
34:28have you been invited
34:29what's going on
34:30with this
34:30it was so
34:32divisive
34:34anybody that kind
34:35of disagreed
34:36with Jean
34:36or questioned her
34:38she could be
34:39quite nasty
34:41in a response
34:42online
34:42a couple of parents
34:43asked
34:44what is your criteria
34:45for selecting
34:46they were closed
34:48down very quickly
34:50by Jean
34:50I saw one
34:52social media post
34:54where Jean
34:54said
34:55you weren't saying
34:56that when we gave
34:57you that iPad
35:01if somebody did
35:02say the wrong thing
35:03Jean could be
35:04really quite brutal
35:07that served
35:08to keep people
35:09in their rightful place
35:10people were scared
35:12of Jean
35:16there was an article
35:17from the Sunday Times
35:19where it indicated
35:21how much money
35:22Believe in Magic
35:23received on the back
35:24of their One Direction
35:25connection
35:28they received at least
35:30half a million
35:31from two different
35:32meet and greets
35:33and things
35:34that had been auctioned
35:35off
35:37and all of a sudden
35:38you've got Meg
35:39and Jean
35:39doing things
35:41that nobody
35:42could quite believe
35:43Ted here is going to
35:45switch on
35:45the Christmas lights
35:46we're going to count them
35:47down for five
35:48five
35:49four
35:50three
35:51two
35:52one
36:00Meg
36:00Meg received
36:01points of light
36:01of wood
36:02from David Cameron
36:04well I thought
36:05it was amazing
36:06and I thought
36:06it was well deserved
36:07because she did deserve it
36:09you know
36:09she deserved recognition
36:10for all that she did
36:11for the children
36:16they were amazing people
36:18they did amazing things
36:19they cared about everybody
36:23Meg didn't seem to put
36:24herself first ever
36:26it was always
36:27always about
36:28the children
36:29and the parents
36:31there was
36:32all kinds of magic
36:38there were trips to Disney
36:41what's their special
36:43relationship with Disney
36:45because they mention this
36:46quite a bit
36:47Meg was just obsessed
36:49with Disney
36:51if Meg could have lived
36:52in Disneyland
36:53that's where she would
36:55have liked to have lived
36:57I think maybe it was
36:58the unreal
36:59the magical side
37:01of things
37:02you know
37:03it was make-believe
37:04and escapism
37:06from hospitals
37:07and illness
37:07and whatever else
37:09Meg was trying
37:11to escape from
37:15and Meg's health
37:17was deteriorating
37:19but there was quite often
37:21something new
37:26Hi everyone
37:28it's Jean
37:29we're currently in the US
37:31after recently having
37:33septicemia
37:34and another blood clot
37:36the tumour in Meg's brain
37:38has given her severe
37:40immunodeficiency
37:41we found out Meg's immune system
37:44is much weaker
37:45than previously thought
37:49I remember seeing on Facebook
37:51in 2016
37:52that Meg went back to the US
37:54for some more treatment
37:55and testing
38:00there's a sign that
38:01things are very serious
38:04there were posts from Jean
38:06just about how unwell Meg had been
38:09how close she'd been to death
38:11on a couple of occasions
38:14so everybody's waiting for news
38:16people are invested
38:17people care about Meg
38:22and then
38:23out of the blue
38:26the message came
38:27from a parent
38:29doubting what was going on
38:36and that message
38:38hurt deeply
38:39a lot of people
38:41like someone threw a grenade
38:42and then kind of walked away
38:58who was Sarah Smith?
39:00I didn't know
39:02but I had a feeling
39:04who it might be
39:10and who was that?
39:12so there was a parent
39:14that Meg and Jean
39:15had told me about
39:18who's kind of always
39:19had a bit of a problem
39:20with Meg and Jean
39:24I don't know
39:25the ins and outs of it
39:28all I know
39:28is what Meg and Jean
39:29told me
39:33that this person
39:34was very upset
39:35because their son
39:35was no longer
39:36invited to the parties
39:37and Meg and Jean's
39:39answer was always
39:39well
39:40their son is cured
39:41and we have
39:42lots of referrals
39:43every week
39:44so we have to
39:44make room
39:45for new children
39:51why did you do it?
39:54am I allowed to swear?
39:55am I allowed to say
39:56full of shit?
39:56are you having that
39:57in the documentary?
39:58so I just had a hunch
40:00that Jean's full of shit
40:03were you a disgruntled parent
40:05a kind of a jealous mum
40:06who felt that
40:08her son had missed out?
40:10no absolutely not
40:12we were invited
40:13we were invited to
40:13two more parties
40:14that I turned down
40:16I was like
40:16appreciate it
40:17and I really really
40:21I was so grateful
40:23that my son was doing okay
40:26Corey was out of treatment
40:28so he was now in remission
40:31like that is everything
40:35the last place I was
40:36was wanting to take
40:38something off another child
40:39but what made you
40:41have suspicions?
40:48it all started for me
40:50in 2015
40:51when I saw the help
40:53Save Meg Appeal
40:55I'd been in this
40:56cancer world
40:57for a couple of years
40:58so you get to know
40:59the oncologist
41:01or the reason why
41:02people travel
41:02or which hospitals
41:03so I was kind of
41:05just purely out of interest
41:07looking for that information
41:09and it was very vague
41:10but at the same time
41:12very very over the top
41:15unfortunately
41:15when we met
41:17with the radiation oncologist
41:19within minutes
41:20of reviewing the scan
41:21he could see that
41:21things were a lot
41:22more complicated
41:23and what we were facing
41:25was far worse
41:25than we thought
41:27the tumour in her brain
41:28has not only grown
41:29in a very difficult location
41:31but developed tentacles
41:33which has wrapped itself
41:34around one of the two
41:35main arteries in Meg's brain
41:36and the primary blood
41:38supply to her brain
41:39to complicate things
41:41even more
41:41Meg has a serious
41:43systemic infection
41:44which has pocketed itself
41:45somewhere within her body
41:47it's so extreme
41:49they were at death's door
41:51there was infection
41:52on infection
41:53on infection
41:53like more infections
41:54and I've never heard
41:55anything like it
41:57there was just
41:58so many questions
42:01were they amazing women
42:02that were just in this
42:03for the children
42:05was Megan really sick
42:08or are they doing this
42:09for money
42:12so I messaged Nick
42:16Joe messaged me
42:19I smell a rat
42:20I smell a rat
42:34by this point
42:36I had really stepped away
42:38from the community
42:41I was attempting
42:42to put my life
42:45back together
42:49my son Adam
42:50tragically passed away
42:52in 2013
42:55and unless you've been
42:58through this
42:58right
42:59you're not going to
42:59understand this
43:00right
43:04the worst thing
43:06is not when
43:07your child dies
43:24unexpected
43:42so that's just
43:44a catastrophic moment
43:46but actually then
43:48your life becomes
43:49very busy
43:49because you have
43:50things to organise
43:51you have
43:52this massive
43:53outpouring
43:54of collective grief
43:56when I posted
43:58about Adam dying
43:58I actually thought
43:59that what people
44:00would say
44:01would not be
44:04but it was so meaningful
44:10then
44:11once
44:13you've
44:14done what you need
44:14to do
44:15and once you've
44:16said your goodbyes
44:17then
44:18there's just a void
44:28you have to
44:29somehow
44:31move forward
44:32with your life
44:34and you get busy
44:38and you know
44:39you could look at
44:39Jean's
44:40social media feed
44:41and there was
44:42some odd stuff
44:43on there about
44:43she wrote for
44:44a national newspaper
44:46and she had
44:47a Harley Street
44:48clinic
44:48and she was
44:49an agony aunt
44:52I found out
44:53she went by
44:53three different names
44:54Bari, Stanton,
44:56O'Brien
44:57and she used
44:58different names
44:58for different things
44:59it's like
45:00yeah it's kind of
45:01these things
45:02are kind of odd
45:14and then he was like
45:16maybe they're
45:16just being private
45:18and I would
45:19just put
45:20yeah maybe
45:21because I knew
45:22that I'd
45:22kind of given him
45:23the seed of doubt
45:25I absolutely
45:26thought
45:27there are
45:28questions here
45:33Jo is pretty
45:34headstrong
45:35and forthright
45:39she was convinced
45:40it was a scam
45:42I'm much more
45:43hesitant
45:44very very cautious
45:45he was just
45:46right
45:47listen Joanna
45:47they have got
45:49such a support network
45:50they are so well
45:51connected
45:51and they are so
45:52well thought of
45:53hi I'm Lou from
45:54One Direction
45:55me and the boys
45:56if you put your head
45:57above the parapet
45:57with this
45:58and you're wrong
45:59you'll get shot
46:00let's get this right
46:02before we do something
46:04that we might wish
46:05that we hadn't
46:08and then in summer
46:102016
46:11Nick messaged me
46:16and it was another
46:17appeal for Megan
46:21and this time
46:22Megan had sepsis
46:23and it was all
46:24very serious
46:25you know we would
46:26never ask
46:27unless we absolutely
46:28had to
46:28but we would both
46:30be so grateful
46:30if any of you
46:31would be able to
46:32help with some
46:33fundraising
46:34a lot of the
46:35donations coming in
46:36with parents
46:37that had sick
46:38children
46:38that was the
46:39community they were
46:40in that was the
46:40community they were
46:41asking for money
46:41from
46:42all the money
46:43went straight
46:44into Jean's
46:44bank account
46:46I didn't like
46:47the sound of that
46:49in order to
46:50raise money
46:51for Corey
46:52we put the money
46:53into a trust fund
46:54with non-family
46:55member trustees
46:56so there was no
46:57question over the
46:58money whereas with
46:59Believe in Magic
47:01the trustees were
47:02Jean, Jean's son
47:04and Jean's son's wife
47:08it's Megan's family
47:09that are controlling
47:10the charity money
47:11and deciding where
47:12it's spent
47:13and I just thought
47:15that was wrong
47:16first thing we did
47:17was look at
47:19Megan Jean's
47:20immediate family
47:21did anybody
47:22back up their story
47:24about Meg
47:26desperately ill
47:27in hospital
47:28mounting medical bills
47:30there didn't seem
47:31to be that
47:32family effort
47:33for example
47:34Megan's sister-in-law
47:36was posting
47:36about a cat
47:41not even
47:42Jean's followers
47:43know what hospital
47:44there's no
47:45information
47:46so I came up
47:47with this
47:48ridiculous idea
47:50that I would
47:51offer to donate
47:52some money
47:53directly to the
47:54hospital where Meg
47:55was treated
47:56and obviously
47:57in the process
47:58of doing that
47:59I would find out
48:00once and for all
48:01they were being
48:01treated at
48:02X hospital
48:04therefore
48:05the story's real
48:10and then I waited
48:16and then I got
48:17a message to say
48:18she was ever so
48:19grateful
48:20but unfortunately
48:22it wouldn't be
48:22possible for me to
48:24donate direct to the
48:25hospital
48:26Nick probably
48:27doesn't understand
48:28how the US
48:29healthcare system
48:30works
48:32we spent months
48:34in the US
48:35with Adam
48:37just nonsense
48:44her immune system
48:46is basically
48:46non-existent
48:47right now
48:48and everyone
48:49is shocked
48:49at just how long
48:50she's been
48:51totally neutropenic
48:53her white blood
48:55cells go from
48:56being crazily high
48:57to completely
48:57leukopenic
48:59and even
48:59still
49:00new infections
49:01have been growing
49:16so Gene's
49:17son
49:18Nick
49:19was one of
49:20the trustees
49:21and
49:22it was possible
49:24to guess
49:25people's email
49:26addresses
49:27just by
49:28going on
49:29to Facebook
49:29and saying
49:31that you
49:31forgot your
49:32password
49:34they gave
49:35you enough
49:35of an email
49:36hint
49:36that you
49:37could figure
49:37out people's
49:38email addresses
49:41so it's
49:42decided that
49:43we used
49:44an alias
49:44and email
49:46Nick
49:48it was just
49:49poking him
49:50or provoking
49:50him
49:51pointing out
49:52that the
49:52charity has
49:53to be run
49:53properly
49:54etc
49:55he went
49:56straight to
49:56Gene
49:57and Gene
49:58then had
49:58that email
49:59address
49:59and then
50:00what happened
50:01next
50:01we're going
50:01to expect
50:08to all
50:08oh my
50:09god
50:13shit
50:15shit
50:18have I got
50:18this wrong
50:20what if
50:21she really
50:21is sick
50:22what if
50:22you have
50:23taken her
50:23away from
50:24her daughter's
50:24bedside
50:25and you've
50:25made life
50:26difficult for
50:26her
50:27what if
50:27there is
50:27proof
50:27what if
50:28there's
50:2820 pages
50:28proof
50:29and your
50:30heart
50:30stops
50:31you're
50:31like
50:31oh my
50:31goodness
50:34I did
50:34say to
50:35everybody
50:35don't panic
50:37just yet
50:39because
50:39because of
50:40the nature
50:40of Adam's
50:41disease
50:41I acquired
50:42a knowledge
50:42and understanding
50:43which is
50:45not normal
50:45of parents
50:50there were
50:51no names
50:51no hospitals
50:53no doctors
50:55why do you
50:56why do you need to
50:57redact
50:58why can't we
50:59know the
51:00hospital name
51:00why can't we
51:01know the
51:02doctor's name
51:02what are you
51:03scared of
51:04ultimately
51:06there was
51:07lab results
51:08and blood
51:08work
51:08and actually
51:10when you
51:10looked at
51:11it
51:11Meg had
51:12some
51:13abnormal
51:14blood
51:15results
51:15some were
51:16elevated
51:16some were
51:17low
51:19but
51:19Jean says
51:20Meg is
51:21neutropenic
51:23and leukopenic
51:23with severe
51:24lactic
51:25acidosis
51:26and severe
51:27sepsis
51:28etc etc
51:30if she was
51:31really really
51:32that ill
51:32her neutrophils
51:33should have
51:33been zero
51:35so she
51:36clearly wasn't
51:37neutropenic
51:37at all
51:43somebody in
51:44the street
51:44might be
51:45convinced
51:45by this
51:48unfortunately
51:48I'm not
51:52clearly
51:52we were
51:53being messed
51:54about
51:58not only
51:58was she
51:59not giving
51:59us answers
52:00but she
52:01was almost
52:01insulting
52:02my intelligence
52:03by sending
52:04through this
52:05document
52:08I just
52:09got to the
52:09point where
52:10I was very
52:10suspicious of
52:11the pair of
52:12them
52:14don't believe
52:15that she's
52:15dying in a
52:16hospital bed
52:16with sepsis
52:18so where
52:19so where
52:19are they
52:19then
52:21Nick came
52:22to say
52:24I've got
52:25an idea
52:29so my
52:30background is
52:31in IT
52:32I'm not a
52:33hacker by trade
52:34by any means
52:36but I had
52:37this idea
52:38that I would
52:39use a piece
52:40of software
52:41where you can
52:43send an email
52:43to Megagene
52:44and if they
52:45open the email
52:46there is a
52:47chance that
52:49you'll be able
52:49to capture
52:50certain information
52:51such as the
52:52IP address
52:53and from
52:55that IP
52:56address you
52:56can narrow
52:57down where
52:58Meg and Jean
52:59were
53:00I thought it
53:01was amazing
53:02didn't even know
53:02you could do
53:03that
53:10I set up
53:11an email
53:12alias
53:13I used a
53:14combination
53:14of my
53:15middle name
53:15and Adam's
53:17middle name
53:18it was
53:18James Lucas
53:24and then
53:25it was just
53:25a question
53:26to wait
53:26and see
53:26whether or
53:27not
53:28somebody
53:28opened it
53:37I got a
53:38notification
53:39that Jean
53:39opened the
53:40email
53:42got the
53:43IP address
53:45and I
53:46did a
53:48very broad
53:48Google search
53:49on it
53:54one of the
53:55search results
53:56is a review
53:57posted in
53:58Google groups
53:59by somebody
54:00called Sue
54:01bless her
54:02for Kidani
54:04Village in
54:04Animal Kingdom
54:05in Disney
54:06in Florida
54:09the association
54:11of Meg and
54:13Jean with
54:13Disney
54:14was enough
54:15to pique
54:15my interest
54:18it kind of
54:19all made
54:19sense
54:20they went
54:21there every
54:22summer
54:23every winter
54:25where else
54:26were they
54:27going to
54:27be
54:29and I
54:30don't know
54:30what made
54:30me do
54:31it
54:31but I
54:31picked up
54:32the phone
54:33and I
54:34dialled
54:35Animal Kingdom
54:38and I
54:39asked for
54:39Jean
54:41and then
54:42realised
54:43that she
54:43had three
54:43surnames
54:44and decided
54:45to pick
54:46Bari
54:48and the
54:48person said
54:50connecting
54:50you now
54:57Jean
54:58answered
55:00in
55:01Jean's
55:03rather
55:03unmistakable
55:04voice
55:06and I
55:07put the
55:08phone down
55:11wow
55:14she's in
55:15Disney
55:15where people
55:16go
55:16for holidays
55:25I
55:25go and
55:25tell the
55:26group
55:27phone
55:27ask
55:28for
55:28Bari
55:28and I
55:29remember
55:29I
55:30typed it
55:30out
55:30in all
55:31capitals
55:31B
55:31dash
55:32H
55:32dash
55:33A
55:33dash
55:33R
55:34dash
55:34I
55:35yeah
55:36have
55:36a go
55:36it's
55:37too
55:37shocking
55:38to
55:38believe
55:38so
55:39there
55:39is
55:39a
55:39part
55:39of
55:39you
55:39that
55:39thinks
55:40is
55:40he
55:40joking
55:42and
55:42then
55:42all
55:42the
55:43information
55:43was
55:43coming
55:43through
55:44we
55:45were
55:45looking
55:45online
55:46we
55:46were
55:46seeing
55:46giraffes
55:47we
55:47were
55:47seeing
55:47wildlife
55:48we
55:49were
55:49seeing
55:49luxury
55:51so
55:52at that
55:52point
55:52it's
55:53like
55:53right
55:53we've
55:53got
55:54you
55:55what
55:55on
55:55earth
55:56are
55:56you
55:56doing
55:56in
55:56a
55:56four
55:57star
55:57villa
55:58while
55:59appealing
55:59for
55:59money
56:00because
56:00your
56:00daughter
56:01is
56:01so
56:02sick
56:03obviously
56:03I
56:03had
56:04established
56:04that
56:04Jean
56:05was
56:05in
56:06Animal
56:06Kingdom
56:07that
56:08didn't
56:08actually
56:08say
56:09anything
56:09about
56:09where
56:10Meg
56:11was
56:11at
56:11this
56:11time
56:11or
56:12what
56:12was
56:12going
56:22Joe
56:23stepped
56:23up
56:23to
56:23the
56:23plate
56:24to
56:24try
56:24and
56:25find
56:25out
56:25if
56:26Meg
56:26was
56:26there
56:27as
56:27well
56:27at
56:35that
56:35moment
56:36you
56:36don't
56:36know
56:36whether
56:37you're
56:37even
56:38going
56:38to
56:38get
56:38past
56:38the
56:39receptionist
56:41but
56:41I
56:41thought
56:41I
56:41just
56:42need
56:42to
56:42do
56:42this
56:42I
56:42just
56:42need
56:42to
56:42find
56:43out
56:58I
56:58hadn't
56:59really
56:59thought
56:59about
57:00what
57:00I
57:00was
57:00going
57:00to
57:00say
57:01so
57:01I
57:02was
57:02like
57:02hi
57:02is
57:03Megan
57:03there
57:04hey
57:05just
57:05is
57:05Megan
57:05please
57:06Megan
57:10is
57:10Megan
57:10there
57:14she
57:20said
57:21Megan
57:21sleeping
57:22and
57:24that
57:24was
57:24an
57:24instinctive
57:25response
57:28and
57:29so
57:29we
57:29took
57:30it
57:30that
57:31Megan
57:31and
57:31Jean
57:31were
57:32both
57:32in
57:33Disney
57:34in
57:35Florida
57:35I
57:36was like
57:36oh my
57:36goodness
57:37they're
57:37there
57:38oh my
57:38goodness
57:39they're
57:39there
57:40Megan
57:41is not
57:41in
57:41intensive care
57:43so I
57:43so I
57:44kind of
57:44composed
57:45myself
57:45and then
57:46ran
57:46back
57:54who is it
57:55I said
57:55is Megan
57:56there
57:56no Megan's
57:57not here
57:58Megan's in
57:58her hospital
57:59Megan's very
58:00very unwell
58:00who is it
58:01completely changed
58:02the story
58:02now she's lying
58:04because she said
58:05Megan's asleep
58:05now she's saying
58:06Megan's in hospital
58:07so she knows
58:09by the second
58:09phone call
58:11that people
58:12are on to her
58:17I said
58:17we're going to
58:18get to the
58:19bottom of it
58:23and we had
58:24no idea
58:26what it would
58:26lead to
58:27or where it
58:27would take us
59:05to the
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