300 sick children get free trip to Foire du Midi

Sick Children’s Day took place on Thursday last week at the Foire du Midi in Brussels, where the fair welcomed about 300 children with free access to attractions as part of the annual tradition.

The children selected include those who are ill or have been ill, children with disabilities or children who are growing up in difficult circumstances.

The tradition has been going on for more than 20 years following an initiative launched in the aftermath of the capture of Belgian serial killer Marc Dutroux, when Patrick De Corte, the voice of the Brussels fairground operators, invited Jean-Denis Lejeune, the father of one of Dutroux’s victims, to bring children to the fair for free. Since then, the initiative has grown every year.

"It's a fantastic day for those children," De Corte. "They look forward to it for weeks in advance, when they find out they can come. And today you can see on their faces that they are happy. Their smiles are the best gift we get in return."

The City of Brussels is responsible for organising the initiative.

“It's a magical day, a very meaningful moment when sick children and children in difficult situations can forget their worries for a while, thanks to the generosity of the fairground operators,” said Didier Wauters (Les Engagés), alderman for economic affairs in Brussels.

A total of 20 organisations took part, including Make-A-Wish, Smiles, Bikers for Children, ClassContact asbl and Altéo.