Child of Courage nominee – Declan Hall

Child of Courage nominee – Declan Hall

Teenager Declan Hall is a carer for his four-year-old sister who has leukaemia – carrying her if she is too tired to walk, taking her to the bathroom and getting up with her in the night so that his mum can rest.

The 13-year-old has ADHD, recently moved schools after being bullied and has had an operation to remove a tumour from his heel but he is determined to ‘be the man of the house’ for his mum and two younger sisters.

Declan, from Northwich, has been nominated as a Child of Courage in the Your Heroes Awards by family friend Jai Singh.

Jai said: “Declan is truly an inspirational young boy. For two years he has supported and cared for his little baby sister who is fighting leukaemia.

“His mum had one child was in Alder Hey Children’s Hospital fighting cancer while another was in Wrexham Maelor Hospital having a tumour removed. Declan manned up and took control, supporting his mother and looking after his other sister.

“He said he wants his family not to feel there is no man in the house to support them. He said he wants to be the best brother and son to help his baby sister and his mum.

“He gets up in the night so his mum can rest and tries to do as much as he can like getting water for his sister, helping her to go the bathroom or getting her food if she is hungry.

“He carries her as she is too tired to walk, paints with her and watches her favourite movies. Which 13-year-old would do that? Declan is truly an amazing young boy and definitely worthy of this award.”

Declan lives with his mum Toni and sisters Alivia, 11, and Holly, four.

Toni said she was moved to tears by the Your Heroes Awards nomination and the words Jai had said about her son.

She said: “Declan totally is my rock. I don’t know what I’d do without him. Holly has 12 months left of her treatment for leukaemia and Declan helps us through.

“You would expect a 13-year-old to be on their games console and Declan does still have time to do that but he always checks in on us first. He puts the rest of us first and makes sure there isn’t anything we need before he does something for himself.

“He has ADHD as well so he has his own demons to fight through as well as everything that he does for us.”

Declan is in the Air Cadets and is also working towards a Duke of Edinburgh Award.