So who doesn’t love Doctor Who?
It seems like no one in the world wants to keep that doctor away, but only a select few enter the ranks of “Doctor Who superfan.”
Of these superfans, the most dedicated in the UK visit the major Doctor Who celebration that’s held every year in London. Unfortunately, teenage superfan Daniel could not attend the festival because of his poor health.
Daniel has Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS), which mainly targets tissues that support the joints, blood vessels, skin, and other organs. One of the most common symptoms is hypermobility, an unusually large range of motion in the joints, and elasticity of the epidermis.
In its most severe form, EDS can cause blood vessels and arteries to rupture, which can be life-threatening.
Daniel also has postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), a form of dysautonomia that is affects millions of people around the world. POTS is associated with excessive tachycardia and many other symptoms upon standing. POTS is frequently seen in patients with other diseases like EDS.
Daniel is bed-ridden as a result of his EDS and POTS, but thanks to the online Doctor Who community, Daniel’s story spread quickly.
The next thing Daniel knew, actor Peter Capaldi was standing next to his bed in his hospital room.
Capaldi, the Twelfth Doctor in the series, took time out from his schedule to visit the young Doctor Who fan. It was really cool that Capaldi, known as the Time Lord by fans, stopped by in-character, taking out his Sonic Shades for authenticity.
Doctor Who alumnus Frances Barber (Madame Kovarian during Series 6) also stopped by to join the fun, and show runner Steven Moffat recorded a personal video for Daniel. The kindness of Capaldi, Barber, and Moffat, is something Daniel will always remember!
