Watch the moment Prince Harry fist bumps an inspirational Co Armagh teenager and receives a personalised Belfast Giants shirt

15-year-old Blake McCaughey from Tandragee was in London on Thursday to receive the prestigious Inspirational Young Person title at the awards, run by WellChild, the national charity for seriously ill children in association with GSK, having been nominated by his surgeon, Professor Paolo De Coppi.

He received his award at an unforgettable star-studded ceremony at the Hurlingham Club in London, where he and his family spent time with WellChild patron, Prince Harry, The Duke of Sussex at a pre-ceremony reception.

And in a heartwarming gesture, Blake fist-bumped the prince and presented him with a special personalisted Belfast Giants shirt as a memento of the occasion.

The Giants recently announced a new fundraiser to help send their young fan Blake on the trip of a lifetime to Boston, USA.

Blake, who has a very complex and incredibly rare genetic condition which means he has weakened muscles and can’t eat or drink, was picked from hundreds of nominations from across the UK to win the category of Inspirational Young Person in these awards which celebrate the resilience of children and young people living with serious illnesses or complex medical needs and honour the dedication of those individuals who go the extra mile to help them.

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.

Throughout he remained resilient and spread cheer to the hospital team with his infectious smile and fun antics. Blake decorated his room like a Christmas grotto and put on festive outfits, even dressing up as his doctor, Professor De Coppi, with scrubs and a painted-on beard to make everyone laugh and mark his birthday, which falls on Halloween.

Describing Blake as his hero, Professor De Coppi, who a consultant paediatric surgeon at Great Ormond Street Hospital, nominated Blake for a WellChild Award. He said: “Blake’s smile and strength are a great source of joy to those around him. He fully deserves the recognition this WellChild Award brings because he is an incredibly resilient young man who thinks first of cheering up others, even in the hardest times.”

Having lived in hospital in London or Belfast for most of the past four years, Blake loves it when he can spend time with his family and three dogs.

His mum Christine said ahead of the awards: “Blake you have been through so so much, you have battled hard and you have never given up.

"As parents and family of Blake we see him as a daily inspiration to us all and having been in hospital for almost four years he never complained, surgery after surgery and more procedures than I even knew possible and yet he stil managed to smile and keep us all strong so we know how worthy you are of this award.

"Professor De Coppi nominated Blake back in January and I got a call in May to say Blake had won I couldn't speak, there was a lot of tears of pride for all that he has achieved so this awards ceremony will be a night to celebrate Blake and his life and what he has brought to us all.”

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 2023, in association with GSK, will be a unique opportunity to recognise the immense challenges they have faced and to celebrate their remarkable positivity, resilience and spirit, which is an inspiration to us all. It will also help us to shine a light on the 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 in life.”

Prince Harry has been WellChild patron for 15 years and has provided invaluable help – equally in raising awareness and financial contributions – to ensure the charity can pursue its mission to improve the quality of life for seriously ill children and their families.

Speaking at the ceremony, he said: “For the years I’ve been patron of WellChild, I’ve always been amazed by the care and kindness this organization lives and breathes. I’ve spoken with countless families who have shared such gratitude for the comprehensive, around-the-clock support they’ve received from WellChild’s family network.

"I’ve been struck by the immense power that comes from connecting families with others who understand and truly see them – and how WellChild has become an emotional support and information lifeline for many during the pandemic and beyond. The fact this network has since grown to more than 3,000 families is nothing short of remarkable.”

The event, which was also attended by celebrities Tom Felton, Sophie-Ellis Bextor and Danny Jones, was hosted by Gaby Roslin.

WellChild is the national charity for seriously ill children and their families. More than 100,000 children and young people are living across the UK with serious health needs. Many spend months, even years in hospital simply because there is no support enabling them to leave. Meanwhile those who are at home face inconsistent and inadequate levels of support.

Through a UK-wide network of children’s nurses; home and garden transformation projects as well as family information and support services, WellChild exists to give this growing population of children and young people the best chance to thrive – supported at home, together with their families.