Matthew, 15, is one of only 40 Australian sufferers of systemic onset juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA).

He often has to use a wheelchair, suffers severe joint pain daily and has been forced to give up his

year 9 studies at St Patrick’s College.

He takes a triple cocktail of drugs every day and does energy healing with his natural therapist mum Donna.

But it hasn’t stopped him planning his dream trip to London later this year with the help of the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

Matthew, Donna, father Ric, younger brother Christopher and aunt and uncle Annie and Jason Harding will tour the English capital with the help of London-based tour guide and aunt Jane Sloan.

“He’s just always loved London,” Donna said.

“He loves the energy of it.”

To help with the trip, Matthew’s Creswick youth group recently organised a trivia night, which raised nearly $8000.

“This community is just divine,” Donna said.

“We’ve had an overwhelming response across the board from community members.

“More than anything, there’s been so much evidence of love in the community.”

Donna said there was hardly a dry eye at the trivia night when Matthew was presented with a signed photograph of his beloved Essendon Football Club, bought for him by a Creswick Football Club member.

“Everyone has seen him go from this bright, sprightly little kid who would talk to anyone in the street to seeing how he is now.

“There really was a waterfall of love for him on the night.

“Complete strangers were handing over $50 notes at the door instead of a gold coin donation.”

Matthew’s symptoms began nearly eight years ago with a high fever, a rash and severe joint pain.

He was eventually diagnosed with JRA, or Still’s Disease, which is believed to be caused by a faulty immune response triggered by such things as stress or a viral or bacterial infection.

It affects all the body and boys and girls equally.

Donna said Matthew, who was not well enough to be interviewed for this story, and the whole family adopted a very positive attitude to his illness.

“If there’s only 3 per cent of things he can do at the moment we concentrate on that three per cent until it expands a bit more,” said Donna, who donates a percentage of her natural therapy earnings to the Make-A-Wish Foundation.