Girl (9) gets to live her dream as a zookeeper thanks to Make-A-Wish

Sydney Mulhall (9) suffers from complications such as epilepsy, scoliosis, and an intellectual disability.

Her mum, Natasha Hughes, told Make-A-Wish Ireland that the zoo is a “calming place” for her daughter.

She had a “blast” on her wish day, joined by her sisters, who know lots about animals.

Sydney loves elephants, and these were one of the animals she got to know “a bit better” by feeding them on the day.

Make-A-Wish Ireland said that Sydney’s excitement was palpable and that at some points, she decided not to use her wheelchair and explore areas of the zoo on her own.

Speaking on Newstalk, Sydney’s mum said that it was a “carefree day of attention for everybody” and made her daughter feel special.

“These are things we don’t get to do on a daily basis as life is busy; it can be hard and stressful,” she said.

“Sydney loves going to the zoo, but because of her chair, we would generally stand at the back, and we wouldn’t see much - but she was out of her chair most of the day this time and just full of joy.”

The young animal lover and her sisters made their best animal calls and got to see lots of animals up close, including the big cats, who came right up to the fence.

Even the new snow leopard came the closest to the glass the zookeepers say they had “ever seen”.

The big day out for Sydney and her family was preceded with a night away at the Castleknock Hotel where she enjoyed a big “jacuzzi bath” and was greeted with little hampers on their beds.

Natasha shared their experience on Wish Week, an annual fundraising initiative by Make-A-Wish Ireland, aimed at granting wishes to children facing life-threatening illnesses.

This year’s event runs from April 22 to April 26 and aims to raise awareness and funds to complete the wishes of these children. It involves various activities such as street collections and much more.