The mother of a toddler with an incredibly rare disorder is set to meet Prince Harry after being rewarded for her exceptional contribution to seriously ill children.

Lucinda Andrews, from Chatham, has been named as a winner in the prestigious national 2023 WellChild Awards.

Mum to two-year-old, Leo, Lucinda was nominated by her friend Rebecca Symonds and will be off to collect her award in London next month.

The awards are run in association with GSK by WellChild, the national charity for seriously ill children.

Lucinda’s little boy was born with TBCD, a gene mutation condition affecting his brain, nervous system and where his muscles become progressively weaker.

He’s the 16th person in the world to be diagnosed with the condition since 2016.

Although Lucinda was advised to resign herself to having her baby for a short time, she decided to fight for him.

With hydrotherapy and physiotherapy Leo is making great progress but he still has seizures and increasing difficulty moving and breathing.

Lucinda is not only Leo’s mum, but also his carer and nurse, much of which she undertakes on her own.

Despite all this, she has also helped set up a charity for children with TBCD and campaigns tirelessly to fundraise for research into treatments and supports other families when they receive this devastating diagnosis for their babies.

Because of her hard work and dedication Lucinda was picked from 100s of nominations from across the UK to win the Special Recommendation category.

Her friend, Rebecca, said: “Lucinda deserves this WellChild Award for her amazing efforts to support Leo, as well as helping others.

“She is the kindest person I know and should be recognised for the wonderful mother she is, who leaves no stone unturned in her fight for all children with TBCD.”

Lucinda will head to the star-studded ceremony on Thursday, September 7, where WellChild Patron, Prince Harry, will also be attending.

The Duke of Sussex said: “For nearly 20 years, WellChild has been transforming the lives of children and young people across the UK, providing critical care that prioritizes the physical, mental and emotional wellbeing of these individuals and their families.

“The courage and strength embodied by these young people – and the tireless devotion of those who support them – never cease to inspire me. I’m honoured to attend this year’s awards ceremony and celebrate their incredible work.”