Taking a break from his relentless schedule - and not forgetting that trip to Buckingham Palace to receive his MBE - Jenson Button recently found time to grant one young boy a very special wish.

Joseph Kealey, from Garrowby, was granted his wish to meet his motor racing hero for a personal tour of the McLaren Technology Centre, courtesy of the Make-A-Wish Foundation UK, the charity that grants magical wishes to children and young people living with life-threatening illnesses.

Joseph, eight, lives with Burkitt's Lymphoma, a cancer of the lymphatic system for which he is undergoing chemotherapy. Whilst he was being treated in hospital, Make-A-Wish paid the F1 fan Joseph a special visit to find out what his wish would be.

A few days later, a stretch limousine pulled up to the Brooklands Hotel in Weybridge, where Joseph (above right) was staying with his mother Rachel, dad Matthew and brothers Harry (above left) and Sam.

From there, the family were whisked to the McLaren Technology Centre, where goodie bags, lunch and Jenson awaited them. After a long chat with his hero, a personal tour of the centre and an inside look into the technical wizardry, the family rounded off their day with a trip to Mercedes Benz World.

"It was amazing," said Joseph's mum Rachel Kealey. "Since Joseph was diagnosed in December it has been a horrendous time and this was just the boost we all needed. The wish to meet Jenson went beyond our expectations and Joseph was simply awestruck."

There are currently 20,000 children and young people in the UK like Joseph fighting a life-threatening illness. This year alone around 1,000 children will be referred to Make-A-Wish to have their wish granted. To grant all these Make-A-Wish needs to raise at least £5 million in 2010.

To refer a child for a special wish or sponsor a wish like Joseph's, visit make-a-wish.org.uk

A sincere "well done" to all concerned.