Harrison Pennicott hopes to get a visit from Hugh Jackman
A young Warranwood boy battling a rare skin disease has found solace singing songs from Hugh Jackman’s movie The Greatest Showman. Now his parents have started a social media campaign asking the star, who’s in Melbourne this weekend, to visit their son in hospital.
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A seven-year-old boy recovering from chemotherapy is singing out for a visit from The Greatest Showman.
Warranwood youngster Harrison Pennicott, 7, has found solace singing songs from Hugh Jackman’s hit film as he continues to fight scleroderma.
He sang a few tunes during a music therapy class at The Royal Children’s Hospital yesterday and melted the nurses’ hearts.
It’s prompted parents Leesa and Jamie to start a social media campaign to try and score a visit from Jackman while he’s in town for his The Man. The Music. The Show tour this weekend.
Leesa launched the campaign yesterday, with her Facebook post shared more than 600 times.
“Harrison was doing music therapy today at RCH. He sang his little heart out to the Greatest Showman songs and the nurses were quite emotional hearing how much H loved singing them,” she wrote.
“It gave us an idea: If we can’t take Harrison to see Hugh Jackman, then let’s get Hugh Jackman to meet Harrison at RCH.”
Harrison has been a frequent visitor to The Royal Children’s Hospital over the past four years as doctors try and cure him from the rare skin and auto-immune disease.
His latest stint has lasted nearly two months as he attempts to grow a new immune system following a stem cell transplant from older brother Miller.
“He’s watched the movie (The Greatest Showman) 100 times, and every time we drive to the hospital he’s the DJ in the car playing the soundtrack on Spotify,” Leesa said.
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“He knows every word to every song … it’s a massive therapy for him in facing reality.”
Jackman has five shows at Rod Laver Arena this weekend before returning for another gig on August 27.
If you want to help Harrison get his dream visit, share this story or this Facebook post with the handle #hmanmeetstheshowman.
And Hugh, if you’re reading this and need to warm up your vocals before your big weekend of shows, head on down to RCH — we know someone who’s happy to help.
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