- Author, Alex McIntyre
- Role, BBC News, West Midlands
A seven-year-old boy and his assist canine have starred in a particular version of The Beano written for visually-impaired kids.
Alex McQueen, from Sutton Coldfield, and golden retriever Chance featured in Beano Presents – A Buddy For Life, which printed on Wednesday.
The comedian teamed up with charity Guide Dogs to create the version, which included a personality visiting the Guide Dogs centre in Bishop’s Tachbrook, Warwickshire.
Alex’s mum Lindsey stated: “For him, he feels like it is all really good fun and ‘there’s me and Chance and we’re in this cartoon and it’s great’.”
Alex has had Chance as his buddy canine for 2 years after he was left with bilateral optic atrophy – harm to the optic nerve – following a bout of meningitis when he was three weeks old.
Mrs McQueen stated he has diminished sharpness in his imaginative and prescient, struggles to see sure colors and has no peripheral imaginative and prescient in his proper eye, amongst different signs.
He additionally has developmental delay together with his speech, and his brother Ross, 9, voiced Alex on the audio model of the comedian.
Alex was paired up with Chance with assist from the charity, who Mrs McQueen stated had been “wonderful”.
Having beforehand been anxious round dogs, Mrs McQueen stated Alex now recurrently seeks out Chance for cuddles.
“(Chance) has acquired probably the most stunning temperament on the earth, he’s simply so beautiful,” she added.
The comedian’s storyline featured Erbert, one of many Bash Street Kids, discussing his recent sight-loss prognosis with buddies and making a go to to the Guide Dogs National Centre.
Alex was one in all various visually-impaired young individuals who have been included within the version.
Craig Graham, editorial director at Beano Studios, stated it was essential to boost consciousness in regards to the influence it will probably have on kids.
“At Beano, it is essential to us to mirror youngsters’ experiences and assist them navigate life with the enjoyable and mischief that each one youngsters ought to get to get pleasure from,” he stated.
Alex Pepper, head of accessibility at Guide Dogs, stated the partnership would assist kids study extra about visible impairment.
“With Erbert opening up about his visible impairment to the Bash Street Kids for the very first time, we hope to encourage folks to really feel extra snug sharing their sight-loss expertise,” he added.