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9-year old Madison is joint winner of community champion award!

9-year-old Madison Lord who raised £9,545 for us was announced as joint Young Community Champion at the Calderdale Community Spirit Awards last Thursday.

We have supported her twin brother, Ethan, and her family, since Ethan was diagnosed with a rare degenerative condition earlier this year. 

Steve Lord, Madison’s dad, said: “I’m so proud of Madi – to see her win this award is amazing and fantastic recognition of all her hard work raising money for Forget Me Not. 

Madison Lord stands having her photo taken at the Community Spirit Awards, holding her certificate which she won on the night for young community champion

Forget Me Not’s support has been so important for her – as well as to Ethan and us. Their sibling support worker is there for Madi to talk to, and she’s done sessions with the school too. Madi’s also been able to meet and make friends with other siblings who are in the same boat. It’s been a real godsend.” 

Madison and her brother both attended St Andrew’s Junior School in Brighouse, until Ethan was diagnosed. To raise money, Madison decided she wanted to do a fundraiser at the school – involving the whole school. 

So on ‘Madi’s day of fun’, everyone wore purple and there was a bake sale, a raffle, guess the name of the teddy bear and a sponsored run. Madison wanted the day to include all of Ethan’s favourite things, so the pupils and teachers ate his favourite meals (pizza, dough balls, crisps, chocolate mousse and ice cream) and each class created different cardboard Mario Karts before the class teachers dressed up as Mario characters and raced each other (Mario Kart is Ethan’s favourite thing)! 

When Madison was shortlisted for the community spirit awards, we wanted to ensure the family had a real VIP experience at the awards do. With the kind support of Flowers by Jade, authors and illustrators Chris Mould and Liz Pichon, Malik Enterprises and Bowers Mill Hotel, we arranged for a Rolls Royce to take the family to the event, plus full hair and make-up, flowers and a stay at the Bowers Mill Hotel where the awards took place. Meanwhile, Ethan was looked after by our care team at the hospice.

Gemma, from our fundraising team said: “Madison has so much to deal with, and they don’t get much time as a family, so we wanted to make sure that whether she won or not, that she had a really great night, one that was just for her.”

In the video created for the awards ceremony, Madison said that winning this award would mean she could tell her brother and she would get lots of smiles from him and he would be proud of her.