From Tuesday December 10 to Saturday December 14, the Moselle association Rafael Lorraine, which makes the dreams of sick children come true, took 13 children aged 5 to 10, and their parents, to Finnish Lapland, to Ivalo. We followed the Lorraine convoy during this exceptional 4-day journey in the footsteps of Santa Claus.
Watch our documentary that seems straight out of a Christmas movie
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Friday – Arctic sports and meeting Santa ⤵️
This Friday morning, the children tried out arctic sports. On the program: curling, ice karting, lasso throwing, tandem skiing and horseback riding.
It's an event they won't soon forget. The moment that the 13 children were all waiting for was the meeting with Santa Claus. This meeting took place this Friday afternoon, an event rich in emotion for the children and their parents.
The adventure ends after this meeting with Santa Claus for Rafael Lorraine's group. Children, parents and members of the association returned to France on Saturday December 14.
Thursday – Ice fishing and reindeer feeding ⤵️
In Lapland, the sun only shines for two or three hours a day in winter. Rafael Lorraine's group takes the opportunity to participate in some activities such as ice fishing or reindeer feeding. The rest of the program includes a meeting with sled dogs before meeting an important personality on Friday: Santa Claus!
Wednesday – It's time for the big departure! ⤵️
Ultimately, not 36, but 32 people took part in the trip: 13 children, followed by the Nancy-Brabois CHRU service, 13 parents, 4 members of the association and a nurse. For the first time in five years of existence, two children and their parents were unable to come for health reasons. More than 3,000 km separate Metz from Ivalo, a village located in Lapland, in the north of Finland. After a first bus trip to Brussels (Belgium) on Tuesday, the Lorraine convoy left on Wednesday morning for Helskinki (Finland), the capital, then Ivalo.
Like two years ago, a journalist from Moselle TV slipped into the procession. We take stock of the lovely festive program that awaits them in Lapland, with Denis Bettinger, president of Rafael Lorraine.
