Sofia Dobson, aged 12, from Warrington, was named a winner in the prestigious national 2026 WellChild Awards, having been nominated by her Mum, Sarah.
She received her award at the Royal Lancaster Hotel in London on Monday (September 21) where she spent time with WellChild Patron, Prince Harry, The Duke of Sussex and other celebrity guests.
This year marks the 21st year of the WellChild Awards, which celebrate the inspirational achievements of seriously ill children, young people and those who care for them. These Awards are run by WellChild, the national charity for seriously ill children. This year’s event also celebrated 20 years of the charity’s flagship WellChild Nurse programme which has prevented tens of thousands of hospital admissions for children and young people living with serious illnesses in the UK.
Sofia was chosen from hundreds of nominations from across the UK to win the Inspirational Child – Aged 4-6 Award, to honour the extraordinary courage, determination and positivity she has shown while living with serious illness.
Born in February 2014, twelve-year-old Sofia Dobson has shown extraordinary resilience since surviving a catastrophic stroke at birth, despite doctors believing she was unlikely to survive. As a result of her brain injury, Sofia lives with complex and lifelong medical needs, including cerebral palsy, epilepsy, dystonia, visual impairment, scoliosis, autism spectrum disorder and significant learning difficulties. She requires full-time one-to-one support, attends the Royal School for the Blind, and her life is carefully managed around frequent hospital appointments, intensive physiotherapy, medication and ongoing surgeries. Despite a deep fear of hospitals stemming from her early experiences, Sofia continues to face every challenge with remarkable courage.
Despite these immense difficulties, Sofia has consistently exceeded expectations. Against the odds, she learned to walk and talk, overcoming barriers that many believed would be impossible. Through determination, strength and the support of those around her, she continues to make progress while navigating life-threatening seizures, mobility challenges and the daily realities of living with a complex disability. Music and creativity provide her with joy and comfort, helping her remain positive as she prepares for future treatment.
What makes Sofia truly inspirational is her unwavering commitment to helping others. After recognising that disabled children are often excluded from activities such as swimming and sports, she bravely used her voice to campaign for greater inclusion, writing to both the Prime Minister and the King. Her kindness extends far beyond advocacy: she fundraises for childhood stroke survivors, saves her pocket money to buy Christmas gifts for children spending the festive season in hospital, and personally delivers them with handwritten messages of encouragement.
Although Sofia has faced more challenges than most people encounter in a lifetime, she approaches each day with compassion, determination and a desire to make a difference. Her courage, generosity and refusal to let adversity define her inspire everyone around her, showing a strength, maturity and selflessness far beyond her years.
Sofia’s Mum, Sarah, who nominated her for her WellChild Awards said: “Sofia inspires me every single day with her strength, determination and kind heart. We are incredibly humbled by this award and we were so excited to celebrate such a special moment with WellChild.”
Prince Harry, The Duke of Sussex, attended the Awards to meet winners and their families at a pre-ceremony reception and delivered a speech during the event.
In his speech on the night, Prince Harry, The Duke of Sussex said: “The WellChild Awards are always a very special evening because they give us the opportunity to celebrate an extraordinary group of children and young people living with complex medical needs, as well as the families who support them every single day.”
Commenting on the 20th anniversary of the WellChild Nurse programme, Prince Harry said: “Since the first WellChild Nurse was appointed 20 years ago, the programme has grown to 54 nursing posts in children’s hospitals and communities throughout the United Kingdom. I was fortunate enough to see some of that work for myself when I visited Birmingham Children’s Hospital this summer. I had the chance to meet several WellChild Nurses, as well as some of the families whose lives they have helped to transform. What really struck me was just how much their role involves.
It is, of course, about helping children to leave hospital and return home. But it is about much more than that. It is about giving children and young people the confidence and support to thrive at home, at school and within their communities.
That support can make an enormous difference, not just to a child, but to an entire family.”
The star-studded event was attended by celebrity supporters such as Dame Kelly Holmes, Gok Wan, McFly drummer Harry Judd and Peter Andre with an opening performance from Disney’s stage shows. The event was hosted by WellChild ambassador, Gaby Roslin.
WellChild Chief Executive, Matt James said: “The WellChild Awards are an incredibly special moment each year to pause and celebrate some of the truly remarkable stories from within our national network of children living with complex medical needs, their families, the children’s nurses and the professionals caring for them.
“The event is all about shining a bright spotlight on their triumphs, their bravery, their kindness and their determination to live well in the face of complex medical challenges. It’s more important than ever that we are loud and clear about this growing population of young people who, all too often, feel unrecognised in our society.
“Alongside our Patron, Prince Harry, The Duke of Sussex, and our valued supporters, we can give these families a platform to be seen, heard and felt on a national level. In turn, the support generated helps more seriously ill children and young people on their journey from hospital, to home, to living well.”
Stephanie Dean, Director of Programmes, Charitable Investments at GSK said: ‘GSK is proud to stand alongside WellChild as principal sponsor of these Awards, honouring the incredible spirit and determination of children, young people and their dedicated carers, and recognising the life-changing support WellChild provides to families across the UK facing complex health challenges. We continue to be inspired by their remarkable resilience, compassion and drive to live life to the fullest.’
Kym Rutterford, Fundraising Manager at St. James’s Place Charitable Foundation who has sponsored Sofia’s award said: “Sofia is an extraordinary example of how courage and compassion can create positive change. Despite facing challenges that no child should have to endure, she has shown remarkable determination not only to overcome adversity, but to use her voice to make life better for other children living with illness and disability. Her kindness, resilience and passion for inclusion are truly inspirational, and we are incredibly proud to support the WellChild Awards and celebrate Sofia as this year’s Inspirational Young Person.”
