Turning 18 is a memorable milestone for most young adults, but Steven King will never forget his spectacular occasion.

Who else other than a Hollywood A-lister could claim to have Hollywood heart-throbs Johnny Depp and Orlando Bloom as guests at their do?

There was no beach or blue sky on a rainy July day, but as more than 100 guests, family, friends and the carers who have become very much part of Steven and his family's lives, filed into the function room clad in their Pirates of the Caribbean costumes, the 6ft tall cardboard cut-outs of the film's leading men stirred the imagination.

It was Steven's request for a party themed around the blockbuster movie. It was his wish to have the best birthday party ever. "And we granted it for him," says proud mum Melanie.

Melanie, husband Peter and their daughters Leanne, 21, and Jessica, 12, spent six months planning the event at Steven's favourite hotel, the Gomersal Park, Moor Lane, Gomersal where, for his 15th he'd enjoyed another themed birthday - being King for the day.

As the guests gathered, the atmospheric sounds of a steel band took party-goers on a journey to a faraway place where the sun always shines upon turquoise waters rolling along glistening sandy beaches.

A group of Pirate dancers from the Windsor Ballroom, Girlington, where Melanie works as a student dance teacher, entertained the crowd along with Shirley Bassey impersonator Jason Swales. He later had guests on their feet with his second act, renditions from The Rocky Horror Show.

The finale to this spectacular occasion was an eye-catching laser show illuminating birthday messages to Steven.

Five days later, as Melanie excitedly clicks through the photographs on the computer screen at the family's comfortable bungalow in Bradford. I suspect they will be reliving this very special event for ever more.

For them, it wasn't solely about their son reaching a special milestone, it was a celebration of his life so far.

He was just six when he was diagnosed with the life-limiting muscle wasting disorder, Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy.

Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy is a genetic disorder caused by an error in the dystrophin gene. The condition causes progressive muscle weakness as the muscle cells break down and die.

Melanie recalls how her concerns grew when Steven began falling over. "He was slow at walking. He wasn't walking until he was two, the girls were always quick, but I just thought he was a late developer," says Melanie.

"Then he started falling over at school."

Recalling the diagnosis, Melanie says: "I just burst into tears. I couldn't believe it and when they said it was life-limiting you just can't come round to it."

From that moment the family have been intent on giving Steven the best possible life.

"We've visited Disney World in Orlando twice, he's met all the stars and he was King for the day on his 15th birthday, and he's been a Blues Brother," says Melanie.

They're also keen to see him achieve his ambitions - his 18th birthday party being one. Melanie explains how the party was made possible through the children's charity Hopes and Dreams, supporting children with chronic, serious or terminal illnesses. "Steven's wish was to go on a cruise but he was too poorly to go on it.

"We thought we may fly somewhere but he failed the oxygen flight test. We thought we could go somewhere in England by train but then he asked if he could have a great big party for his 18th, the best in the world, it would mean more to him than going on holiday."

Steven's other ambition is to visit the animation studios in Disney. Melanie proudly shows me a board of his designs used on postcards at his local school.

His computer is his technological tool. It enables him to explore his creative flair. Like most teenagers he can also keep in touch with his pals online. "We try and give him independence. He gets frustrated because he is in a wheelchair and there are only limited things he can do but his frustrations go when he turns to his computer and his artwork," says Melanie.

Steven clearly has a special talent his family are keen to develop. He also has the constant support from his carers, including staff at the Martin House Hospice near Wetherby where he occasionally goes for respite care.

Melanie tells how some of the staff and Steven's pals from the hospice were among the guests helping him to celebrate his special occasion.

She, and the rest of the family, can't thank Martin House or the Hopes and Dreams charity enough for their care and support which is why, when they get the opportunity, they try and boost funds for the hospice through fundraising initiatives. They've held social nights at the Windsor Ballroom and family have also pitched in with money-spinning events - Melanie's brother has collecting boxes in his barbers' shops.

Melanie can't thank them enough and they all clearly dote on Steven. "He's very happy and he loves life.

"And" she adds "he means the world to us all."

For more information about the Martin House Hospice at Wetherby visit www.martinhouse.org.uk or call 01937 845045. To find out more about the Hopes and Dreams charity visit www.hopesdreams.org or contact the registered office, Hopes and Dreams, 38 Somersby Gardens, Redbridge, Essex, 1G4 5EA.