A family that recently went through a challenging period of their lives has now received a life-changing £1 million lottery win. Matt Cole, 41, and Courtney Cockerton, 27, experienced a rollercoaster of emotions as they watched their baby son, Rupert, undergo major surgery to repair a cleft lip and palate when he was just 12 weeks old. The past few months have been described as extremely tough for the Horsham couple, but their luck turned around when they won the significant prize shortly after the difficult surgery.

Following the win, the family, who previously made frequent visits to Evelina London Children’s Hospital for Rupert’s appointments, is now planning a joyful trip to Disneyland Paris for Rupert and his two-and-a-half-year-old sister, Ivy. Matt, employed as a quality assurance tester in the insurance industry, expressed gratitude for the support they received from the NHS staff during Rupert’s treatment, particularly praising their assistance with feeding challenges often associated with cleft conditions.

Courtney noted the impact of the experience on the entire family and commended Ivy for being a caring older sister throughout Rupert’s medical journey. She shared their dream of taking Ivy to Disneyland Paris and said that thanks to the lottery win, that dream is now becoming a reality.

In addition to fulfilling their dream family vacation, Matt and Courtney plan to use the money to purchase a new home and a new car, providing them with a sense of security for the future. Matt, who won the £1 million prize by matching the UK Millionaire Maker code on a Lucky Dip ticket, expressed astonishment at his luck and gratitude for the unexpected turn of events.

Dean O’Field, Winner Advisor at Allwyn, the operator of The National Lottery, praised the family and expressed delight at their win, emphasizing the joy of seeing them plan a bright future together after facing challenging times.