Muhammad Ali

My name is Muhammad Ali Keyani, I am 15 years old and I live in Manchester. I was born with a skin condition called Epidermolysis Bullosa (EB for short). My skin is really fragile which causes me blisters which need bursting with a sterile needle many times a day and peels through minor friction. Taking baths and showers are really painful and everyday I have to undergo a routine which involves changing my bandages on my legs. My skin affects my whole body, even my tongue and throat. No cure has been found for my condition.

I was referred to Make-A-Wish by the NHS Star Team in 2018. In 2019, volunteers visited my house to capture my wish. My original wish was to fly a small airplane as I had come back from a two week family visit and holiday from Islamabad, Pakistan. However, due to Covid-19 everything was paused and I lost interest in flying airplanes. As a result, in early 2021 my wish was to have an iPad for playing video games, communicating with friends and family and for school.

On STARboard, I want to help other people who are less fortunate than me as although the life I live can be difficult, I still want to make a difference in other's lives. I want to develop my communication and social skills with STARboard so that I can become a better functioning member of society. The key skills that I offer to STARboard is that I am willing to participate in any sort of event that takes place within the organisation. Also, I am proficient in IT so I can help remotely within the charity.

I hope what I provide is exceptionally useful and that by being part of this team will create amazing opportunities for me in the future.