Mateoh Eggleton’s dying wish comes true with a SUPER birthday party at Area 51 before surgery

The dying wish of a six-year-old to have a ‘Superhero’ party came true this week when he played host to some real-life heroes at the state’s largest indoor fun parlour, at what may be his last birthday. VIDEO

The dying wish of a six-year-old in palliative came true this week when he hosted what may be his last birthday at one of the state’s largest fun houses.

Like every six-year-old, Upper Coomera’s Mateoh Eggleton wanted a birthday filled with games, toys, fun, friends and a cake.

But unlike others his age, Mateoh has a deadly disease.

In 2019, he was diagnosed with Chronic Granulomatus Disease and has spent the majority of the past 3.5 years in hospital.

A last-hope lifesaving operation, which will temporarily restrict all his movements, is scheduled days after his sixth birthday on Thursday.

Mateoh Eggleton, who marked his 6th birthday with friends AND BATMAN at Area 51, Underwood. Photo Steve Pohlner

Countless trials of new medications, liver removal, a bone-marrow transplant and multiple rounds of chemotherapy have been unable to stem the CGD wracking Mateoh’s little body.

Doctors at Brisbane’s Children’s Hospital said his last hope is another gruelling operation and a second try at a bone-marrow transplant.

Mateoh Eggleton was able to get out of hospital to host a massive sixth birthday party at Area 51, a fun parlour in a converted Bunning’s store in Logan. PHOTO: supplied

The brave boy, who went to Upper Coomera State College for prep, will have a central cannula line inserted on Thursday which will restrict him from all movement and play.

Last week, doctors told the family the grave news that they were not sure if Mateoh’s body would make it through the drug conditioning, let alone the bone marrow transplant.

In a desperate bid to ensure her “little warrior” got the party of a lifetime before the surgery, mum Shalyn Eggleton contacted Area 51, the state’s largest fun house, which includes an aircoaster, a skysail, gaming rooms and trampolines.

“This is likely to be his last birthday and doctors have told us to prepare for the worst,” Ms Eggleton said.

“Mateoh will be the first child in the world to have a second bone transplant after having all of these drugs,” she said.

“All the medication he has had over the years is taking its toll.

“We just wanted him to have a fun day and a bit of a surprise and we were lucky that Area 51 came to the party, literally, and helped out.”

A favourite T-shirt, Mateoh Eggleton undergoes another round of chemotherapy. PHOTO: Supplied

Although the feisty Spider-Man-lover, who is surviving on blood transfusions, is in a palliative care ward, doctors allowed him leave to go to his party where he played host to 60 guests including some of the state’s top firefighters and former police officers.

Queensland Governor Jeanette Young, who played a crucial role in helping the family over the years when she was the state’s chief health officer, was unable to join the party.

But her driver, ex-police officer Paul Bagnall, took up the invitation and brought some of his former police officer colleagues.

They were there to watch as Mateoh jumped into a colourful pit of balls, before trying his hand at the aircoaster and trampolines.

“It was a lot of fun and I liked the aircoaster the best,” Mateoh said before cutting his birthday cake.

“There was lots of cake.”

Area 51, which spreads out across 10,000sq m in a former Bunnings store at Underwood, paid for the party and guests.

The fun parlour is the brainchild of Sunnybank entrepreneur, philanthropist and restaurant owner Jason Wang, who designed the site in a bid to get his son off his virtual reality machines at home and outdoors for exercise.

Even Batman arrived for Mateoh Eggleton’s birthday party at Area 51. PHOTO: SUPPLIED

“Everyone is feeling the economic pressure on the family budget at the moment and we can’t imagine the stress of having to pay for extensive and ongoing medical treatment in addition to having three other young children to support,” Mr Wang said.

“When we heard a Superhero birthday party at Area 51 was on Mateoh’s wish list, we didn’t think twice.

“We organised real-life super heroes to be there with Queensland Police and Fire Brigade officers in addition to local councillors who wanted to get behind Mateoh’s cause and help raise awareness for CGD.”

Originally published as Mateoh Eggleton’s dying wish comes true with a SUPER birthday party at Area 51 before surgery