Aroob Haroon’s brother Ayaan sadly died in 2023
Aroob Haroon was treated to a tour of Manchester Airport(Image: Manchester Airport)
A teenager who tragically lost her brother to a disease she also struggles with has been given a special treat by Manchester Airport.
Aroob Haroon, 15, suffers from the same rare condition which sadly led to the death of her brother at Sheffield Children’s Hospital in 2023, when he was just five-years-old. Muhammad Ayaan Haroon was just five when he died at Sheffield Children’s Hospital in 2023. He was born with a rare genetic condition, a Hace 1 deficiency, which caused mucus to build up in his lungs.
Since then, the Sheffield boy’s sister has campaigned for greater awareness around children with rare illnesses, and has fundraised for the hospital. She has met with business groups, mosques, communities, the Lord Mayor of Sheffield, and has even visited the Houses of Parliament and Holyrood, where she met with the then First Minister of Scotland Humza Yousaf.
Aroob also helped to set up the Moon and Stars campaign for the children’s hospital during Ramadan last year. A total of 57 local businesses and organisations each sponsored a star on a mural outside the hospital, raising more than £20,000 in a campaign which will be repeated this year.
Aroob Haroon was treated to a tour of Manchester Airport(Image: Manchester Airport)
She also raised money for Bluebell Wood Hospice who help to care for her, and she is backing the Rotherham United Community Trust’s ’50k Power Play’ campaign to raise £50,000 for powerchair football in South Yorkshire.
Aroob is a massive fan of aviation, and when her family reached out to Manchester Airport to try to arrange for her to see planes up close, staff arranged a behind-the-scenes tour, helping Aroob to get close to an Airbus A380 as it prepared for take-off.
Ed Kibblewhite, Accessibility Manager at Manchester Airport, said: “It was a pleasure to welcome Aroob to the airport and we are delighted that she has made so many special memories. Her story is such an inspiration, and we believe a big part of our role in serving the North is not just through connecting people in the North West, Yorkshire and beyond with destinations across the globe, but also using our platform to support people like Aroob and her family and to help raise awareness of important causes such as this one.
“I’d also like to thank the colleagues who took it upon themselves to arrange this special experience for Aroob – they are a credit to themselves and the airport as a whole.”
A Jet2.com pilot and flight crew also met her, and took her on board so she could see how it gets ready to leave. She also toured Manchester Airport’s new terminal, including out-of-bounds buildings.
Aroob said: “Seeing the huge A380 up close and going behind the scenes at Manchester Airport was amazing! Everyone was so kind and made me feel really special. Thank you to Manchester Airport’s special team for making this visit possible and for being so welcoming. I loved learning how the planes get ready to fly. It’s really cool to think that by visiting the airport I can also help people find out about the charities I care about, like Sheffield Children’s Hospital and Bluebell Wood Hospice.”
Aroob Haroon was treated to a tour of Manchester Airport(Image: Manchester Airport)
Her father, Haroon, said: “We’re incredibly grateful for the warmth, care, and enthusiasm Manchester Airport has shown to Aroob. Knowing that her efforts — and the causes close to her heart — are being supported in this way is very special for her and for us as a family. Seeing her so excited by the A380, meeting the Jet2 pilot and crew, and exploring behind the scenes has created memories she will treasure forever.
“Despite the challenges she faces on a daily basis, Aroob is passionate about helping other children with complex needs, and experiences like this remind her that her work matters and inspires others. We’re very thankful to Manchester Airport’s special team for being part of that, for championing her efforts, and for making her feel truly valued and celebrated.”
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