Teen Faked a Brain Tumor to Raise Funds for Disney World Vacation

The Walt Disney World Resort and the Disneyland Resort are places of magic and wonder for any Disney Guest. From enchanting attractions like Cinderella Castle and thrilling rides like Space Mountain, Haunted Mansion, and Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. Each Disney Park at the Disney Resort—be that one like Magic Kingdom Park or Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park—is a wonderful place to take in the Disney magic.

Occasionally, however, we do have stories of a darker nature at the Disney Parks, and that’s the kind of story we have today.

Believe in Magic

Per the remaining social media accounts, Believe in Magic was “a charity that spreads Magic to seriously and terminally ill children, with Magical experiences to make their lives happier!” It was started by teenager Megan Bhari and her mother, Jean Bhari, in 2012, and granted wishes to terminally ill children. The charity gained a lot of positive attention when it gained the support of former boyband, One Direction and the Prime Minister of the UK.

However, the charity was hiding a dark secret behind the glamor and the work.

Megan and Jean Bhari’s Hidden Truths

At 13 years old, Megan was diagnosed with idiopathic intracranial hypertension; shortly after, the diagnosis was updated when it was revealed that the condition was actually a brain tumor. Mehan Bhari was only 16 when she launched the charity. Uniquely talented in PR, Megan Bhari gained the attention of multiple celebrities, and the band One Direction, in particular, raised £400,000 by auctioning off backstage passes.

However, one day in 2015, Jean Bhari announced that her daughter’s condition had deteriorated, and she needed £120,000 to pay for urgent life-saving treatment in the US. However, one astute mother felt something was off as she watched the donations pour in. As reported by The Sun, “The language of Megan’s appeal was vague and lacking details, with no mention of which hospital Megan would be treated at.”

“I don’t want people being ripped off, especially not in the cancer community,” the mother, Jo Ashcroft, told journalist Jamie Bartlett. 

Eventually, it was uncovered that Megan Bhari was using the money to stay in luxury lodging at Walt Disney World Resort. Even though concerned parents tried warning the authorities, none would believe them. The story becomes even darker when suddenly, a year later, Megan dies.

Bartlett uncovered that Megan Bhari did not die of a brain tumor but rather of acute ­cardiac arrhythmia — due to fatty liver disease, likely related to her high body mass index. It was then revealed that Megan Bhari probably suffered from Munchausen Syndrome.

A family member revealed that Megan was taking morphine every day at one point, and previous doctor’s notes demonstrated that Megan Bhari demonstrated “opiate-seeking behavior.”

It’s a tragic story reported on BBC Podcasts by Jamie Bartlett; it’s one that might help medical professionals spot similar cases in the future.

Read the full report here.