The Fragrance Shop In Partnership with Rays of Sunshine Reaches Huge Milestone

Wish granting charity Rays of Sunshine has granted its 9,000th wish in 21 years, with a VIP experience for 18-year-old Sanna to meet one of her favourite musicians, Olly Murs, while going through treatment for end-stage kidney failure. 

This special wish was delivered in collaboration with Rays of Sunshine’s longstanding charity partner, The Fragrance Shop. Sanna, who lives in Rochdale and is currently on the transplant list and undergoing treatment for end-stage kidney failure was invited to The Fragrance Shop’s high-tech FQ (Fragrance Quarters) in Manchester, for a day of pampering and photography.

Sanna was diagnosed with renal disease shortly after birth. She received her first kidney transplant in 2013, aged just eight. Unfortunately, this transplant failed in 2016, which has left her relying on dialysis treatment. Currently, Sanna must have around four hours of dialysis treatment three to four times a week.

"I have to be in hospital quite a lot, but as I’ve got older I have learned to accept it more,” says Sanna. “It was scary when I was younger, but now I understand a lot more about why I have to go through certain painful procedures – and that makes me less afraid.”

Sanna's special day began with an unforgettable encounter with Olly Murs, also a long-term ambassador of the charity. The pair sat down and chatted, and Sanna asked Olly lots of different questions. When she asked him about his career highlights, he talked about  his performance at the King's Coronation as well as singing in front of Simon Cowell and receiving his praise. “I have so many memories of watching Olly’s videos with my sisters, so it felt in a way like I already knew him,” Sanna explains. 

In a heartwarming moment, Olly asked Sanna her favourite song, to which she enthusiastically responded, "Troublemaker." The duo then surprised Sanna's sister with a birthday call, adding an extra touch of joy to the day and spreading the sunshine even further.

When she’s not in the hospital, Sanna is passionate about her studies in photography. When she mentioned this to Olly and The Fragrance Shop team, they instantly welcomed her to put her own creative spin on her wish. From behind the camera, Sanna directed Olly to strike poses – resulting in some great pictures which Sanna can use for her professional portfolio. 

“I have to do a lot of juggling in my life to balance my A-Levels with my hospitals. I have to be really aware of my body and how I feel, which can sometimes be really hard,” she says. “But then days like today come around, and I just feel so lucky. I think this is the most exciting thing that has ever happened to me.” 

A highlight of Sanna's wish was an interactive fragrance creation session hosted by The Fragrance Shop. Sanna and Olly had the unique opportunity to create their personalised fragrances using the award-winning AI "EveryHuman" machine. As a souvenir for Sanna and Olly to remember their day, this cutting-edge technology capable of generating over 2 billion scent combinations, crafted three bespoke fragrances for each of them based on their responses to a series of  questions (Questions range from personal to fragrance specific - 'Are you a realist or a dreamer? Is your style more business, hipster or sporty? How do you like to spend your spare time?'). 

Amidst laughter and light-hearted conversation, they discussed the answers that shaped their unique scents, enjoying and comparing each other's creations. Olly's warm and engaging personality kept Sanna and her family entertained throughout the afternoon, even playfully remarking that his favourite scent would make anyone's "heart skip a beat". 

“My favourite bit of the day was definitely being able to get behind the camera with Olly. I pretended that I was shooting an advert for the perfumes we made, and I think the pictures came out really well!” Sanna says. 

Reflecting on the wish, Sanna adds: "My confidence was lacking before the wish. But even with that one experience, I feel louder. I'm not scared to say what I want to say."  

Sanna’s wish with Olly marks the 9,000 wish granted by the Rays of Sunshine team in its 21-year history. 

Amy Chambers, Director of Fundraising and Communications at Rays of Sunshine, said: "We are so pleased that Sanna's wish was such a special day, and that she felt like the VIP she is. Sanna’s confidence lit up the room and she made us all smile as she snapped away, laughing and joking with Olly. We are so grateful to our Ambassador, Olly and his team, as well as our friends at The Fragrance Shop for helping us make Sanna's wish come true, after everything she has been through. 

“Both Olly and The Fragrance Shop have been loyal supporters of Rays of Sunshine for more than a decade and we are immensely grateful for their support in helping us grant magical wishes for seriously ill children. What a way to ring in our 9,000 wish, and celebrate our 21st year!"

Visit The Fragrance Shop here.