Inspirational Blake McCaughey from Co Armagh joins the call for 2024 WellChild Awards nominations

This prestigious annual event celebrates the inspirational qualities of the UK’s seriously ill children and young people and the dedication of those who go that extra mile to make a real difference to their lives.

Last year’s event saw Blake from Tandragee attending a star-studded awards event in London where he had the chance to chat with many of the celebrity guests, WellChild supporters as well as WellChild’s patron, Prince Harry the Duke of Sussex.

Blake McCaughey, 16, has a very complex and incredibly rare genetic condition which means he has weakened muscles and can’t eat or drink - as far as his parents know, he is the only person in the world to have this combination of conditions which is so rare there is no single diagnosis, so no name for it.

Blake was picked from hundreds of nominations from across the UK to win the Special Recognition Awards category. Blake has been in and out of hospital his whole life and undergone hundreds of medical procedures including open heart surgery, the insertion of a feeding tube and an operation to separate his stomach from his liver. He uses a wheelchair most of the time, receives nutrition through a feeding tube and recently spent seven months in hospital for operations and treatment to reduce some of his chronic pain.

WellChild is now calling on people in the region to put forward their nominations for the 2024 WellChild Awards.

Blake said: “Getting my award made me feel very special and brave and it was such good fun meeting all the celebrities and having a dance with Gaby Roslin.”

His mother Christine added: “Blake’s WellChild Award meant more to us than anything before. Blake endures so much daily and to see this be recognised in such a positive way was very emotional and rewarding. The whole event allowed us not only to celebrate as a family together but also to meet other families in similar circumstances. Being a parent of a very complex child can be very tiring and daunting at times but to have celebrities come up to you and express what a great job you do certainly gave me a lift.. We cannot thank our WellChild Family enough for the memories they gave us that night and for making Blake feel like the little celebrity that he is.

“To any parent or individual out there that knows someone very special that deserves a WellChild award then I urge you to nominate now, bring a smile to someone's face and prove to them that they truly are amazing.”

WellChild chief executive, Matt James said: “The number of children and young people in the UK living with long-term, complex medical needs is growing. The WellChild Awards 2024, in association with GSK, is a unique opportunity to shine a light on the immense challenges they face and to celebrate their remarkable resilience and spirit. It also provides an opportunity to recognise the selfless dedication of those around them, from siblings and parent carers to the professionals who have gone above and beyond to give them the very best chance to thrive.”

If you know someone who deserves special recognition then nominate them for a WellChild Award by visiting www.wellchild.org.uk/awards. The closing date for entries is Friday, March 8.