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Wards Children Awards 2017 winners

There was a Halloween theme at this year's Ward and Partners Children's Awards, which once again recognised some of the county's bravest youngsters and most deserving charities.

ITV newsreader Amanda Piper hosted the event at Maidstone's Great Danes hotel - replacing regular Charlotte Hawkins, whose duties with BBC's Strictly prevented her from attending.

Marli the Magician helped entertain the guests - but it was the county's inspirational youngsters and charities who were the real stars.

All the award winners on stage together
All the award winners on stage together

Those recognised at the awards were as follows.

Triumph Over Adversity: Sophia-Rose Denison

Sophia-Rose, from Bekesbourne, was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia just before her fourth birthday.

She underwent more than two years of major treatment, involving constant injections, daily medication and blood tests. She has been unable to attend school, make new friends or get fully involved in life.

Sophie-Rose Danison
Sophie-Rose Danison

During all this time of upheaval and treatments Sophia-Rose has remained strong, determined and sustained a sense of humour, making the nurses laugh and joining in a pamper evening. January 7th 2018 marks the end of her first year free of cancer.

Triumph Over Adversity: Toby Pullan

Toby, eight, from Birchington, has high functioning autism, which was only diagnosed 18 months ago. He struggled with life and found mainstream school very hard.

He moved and now attends Heath Farm school in Charing, where he was named Achiever of the Year last Christmas. He has gone from part-time to full days, has started playing football and is the class rep for the school council.

Toby Pullan
Toby Pullan

He has overcome severe anxiety, sensory issues and self-esteem issues and is a really deserving winner.

Triumph Over Adversity: Caitlin Kydd

Caitlin, 15, from Hawkinge was diagnosed with a rare form of bone cancer aged just seven.

She has undergone years of treatment, including a replacement thigh bone and upper arm, involving 11 operations and 58 blood transfusions.

Caitlin Kydd
Caitlin Kydd

She has not let this hold her back and has completed a Duke of Edinburgh Award, volunteers at the Newington Steam Museum, and performed at the Albert Hall in the Rays of Sunshine Choir.

Caitlin passed the Kent Test and is proud to be at Folkestone Girls school, where she is studying hard to be a doctor to help others.

Triumph Over Adversity: Rebecca Bailey

From the age of Rebecca, has suffered from severe psoriasis. Regardless of this,
she has always tried her very best. Rebecca has suffered so severely over the years
that the scaly patches have covered her entire body.

Throughout all of this Rebecca, from Broadstairs, has been volunteering with Riding for the Disabled and has attended a theatre group for able and disabled people.

Rebecca Bailey
Rebecca Bailey

She has learned sign language to enable her to communicate with others and now hopes to attend college
and eventually work with disadvantaged people.

Outstanding charity: Aiden Goodwin Foundation, Bexleyheath

Terry and Michelle Goodwin were blessed with three children but their middle child - Aiden - was diagnosed with a rare aggressive tumour to his left kidney in 2012 when he was only 11.

Chemotherapy commenced and scans revealed further disease which spread to his liver, spine and pelvis. Aiden began drug trials, and although this gave him more time, he sadly died in November 2013.

Terry and Michelle from the Aiden Goodwin Foundation
Terry and Michelle from the Aiden Goodwin Foundation

When Aiden was still alive, he and his parents spoke of wanting to start a charity to help others. This charity became known as the 'Aiden Goodwin Foundation', which aims to enhance the life and bring happiness to children who have cancer and other life limiting/threatening conditions.

Terry and Michelle have worked incredibly hard to raise funds for the charity and were able to purchase a plot at a caravan park in Hastings to be used by families in similar situations.

Outstanding Charity: ASD Ashford

ASD Ashford is a support group which has supported more than 500 families who have autistic children in Ashford and surrounding areas. They now have offices, run drop-ins, Chit-Chat & Craft groups and fundraising events.

ASD Ashford
ASD Ashford

They have run autism awareness and behaviour training sessions for 2,000 people, have an allotment which has involved dads, grandads who have built and shed and are growing vegetables.

Exceptional carer, Amy Furrents

Amy, 15, from Higham, has been a carer for as long as she can remember. She was taught at the age of three to use the phone in case her mum became ill. She became even more of a star when her parents separated. She ensures mum has her medication on time, cooks meals and ensures she is comfortable.

Amy has also had a knee injury in 2015 and had to have surgery but was still thinking of mum.

Amy Furrents
Amy Furrents

During all of this she has worked so hard at school and is now a senior student at Thames View school in Gravesend.

Exceptional carer: Brandon Bishop

Brandon, 13, from Longfield is the youngest of three children although his two older brothers have challenging mental health and medical needs.

Brandon has been a tower of strength, despite suffering himself from conditions including severe dyslexia.

Brandon assists with personal hygiene routines for both brothers, who are aged 17 and 26.

Brandon Bishop and Beetlejuice!
Brandon Bishop and Beetlejuice!

They suffer from conditions including cyclical vomiting syndrome, profound deafness and severe autism.

Brandon's family say he is a truly inspirational carer, who even finds time to make Sunday lunch for them all.

Exceptional carer, Isabelle Davison

Isabelle’s mother had a car accident in April 2016,and later suffered an epileptic seizure in front of her.

Isabelle, seven, from Herne Bay, thought so quickly. She knew she couldn’t get out of the front door so she ran to the back of the house and worked out how to open the patio doors, ran to the bottom of the garden, running frantically down the wooded pathway at the rear of the house, raising the alarm and finding a neighbour.

Isabelle Davison
Isabelle Davison

The neighbour was able to take charge in a dangerous situation until the ambulance arrived.

Going for Gold: Emma Stone

Emma, 15, from West Malling has been battling with Frieberg’s disease whilst developing martial arts skills.

She has been training for ten years at Lordswood Karate club despite spending most of her days in pain and on crutches.

Emma Stone
Emma Stone

Emma trains for up to five days a week despite her condition, and has recently become a 3rd Dan Black Belt and a part-qualified instructor.

She wants to compete in the Olympics and is working towards the 2024 games in Paris.

Emma, who attends the Malling School, has also started ice-skating and has already won one competition.

Courageous family: The Holmes

Mum Cheryl and daughters, Ashleigh, 15, Deborah,13 and Rachel, 11 from East Malling are worthy winners of the courageous family award.

In 2014, Deborah, a talented dancer and gymnast, was diagnosed with Ewing Sarcoma, a form of bone cancer. After undergoing treatment, she was told in 2015 that she had gone into remission.

The Holmes family
The Holmes family

The family’s good news was short lived – months later dad, Anthony Holmes, was diagnosed with a cancerso aggressive it took his life within six weeks.

The family were left devastated but under the guidance of Cheryl, the girls rallied and tried to continue their lives as normal as possible. But then they received further devastating news as Deborah’s cancer returned. Over the past 18 months she has continued to receive further intensive chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

Courageous family: The Ratcliffes

Kyle and Gary, from Minster, have opened their arms and hearts to four very special children, three of whom require full time care and support; one with a life-limiting condition.

Their positivity and passion for the futures of their children has helped them to overcome great adversity.

Their understanding of the need to be a family resulted in them keeping Isobella, who is autistic and has a diagnosis of Downs Syndrome, with her sister Phoebe, who is not diagnosed with any special needs, therefore adopting both girls together.

The Ratcliffe family
The Ratcliffe family

Curtis has a long list of medical diagnoses, is non-verbal, wheelchair dependent and requires round the clock care. He has been diagnosed with a life limiting condition,but this is not going to stop the Ratcliffes making every day matter by giving all their children an extremely rich and loving family life.

Their eldest son, Haydn, is also wheelchair dependent, and has cerebral palsy.

Young fundraiser Izabella King

Izabella’s grandad was diagnosed with Parkinsons in 2013 and the family has watched as the disease has taken hold. Izzy was massively affected by the huge changes and watching him made her want to do something about it. She researched various charities herself and found the Cure Parkinson’s Trust.

Izabella King
Izabella King

She contacted them and came up with the idea of a charity walk to raise money. She mapped various possible routes and set herself a target of £500 to reach.

Using the power of social media she smashed her target within 24 hours, and was delighted when her grandad was able to take part in the walk himself!

The five mile ‘Walk for Grandad’ took place on the 10th June from Snodland to Kings Hill and he did indeed cross the finish line to a huge crowd of cheers! The final total raised was a whopping £2,149.48 for the charity.

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