BGT Nurse Beth brought joy to Max’s short life... we’re so proud he inspired her song
Children’s nurse Beth Porch left the Britain’s Got Talent audience weeping as she sang: “You taught me to be brave. And although it wasn’t for long. You taught me what love is.”
Her audition earned her a standing ovation from all the celebrity judges earlier this year.
But for one person, it meant even more – the mum of the little boy we can reveal she wrote the heartbreaking song about.
Max McHugh was just 11 months old when he died of a rare childhood cancer.
He had spent more than half his life in London’s Great Ormond Street Hospital.
His personality and the devotion of his parents Suzanne Yardley, 33, and Barry McHugh, 37, touched the nurse.
And when Suzanne watched Beth and heard the lyrics, she felt the immediate connection.
It was really emotional because every word is just so true,” she said. “Max was just such a loving, happy little boy, so innocent to what was going on.
“He would smile at anybody who walked in the room, having people around was what made him happy.
“He went through gruelling treatment but he’d still sit up and smile. It’s a really touching song and it’s so special to us.”
The next day, Beth, who appears in the semi-final tonight, told her this was her way of remembering Max because she had missed the funeral.
“She said, ‘I hope you don’t mind the whole country has heard this song, his song,’ and I cried,” said Suzanne. “I’m honoured this song is dedicated to my little boy.”
After Beth’s audition, judge Alesha Dixon told her: “I was thinking about my own children. I just choked up the whole time. It was so beautiful.”
Beth released her tune, raising thousands of pounds for the NHS. She told Suzanne the song was originally titled Baby the Brave, with Max known as Max the Brave. Born in August 2018, he was five months old when he became
unwell at home in Sutton, Surrey. Tests showed he had a malignant rhabdoid tumour in his lung, a rare childhood cancer with just 58 cases worldwide.
Max’s care team at the children’s hospital included Beth, 25, who was known as The Singing Nurse.
“We’d hear her ukulele. We’ve got lovely videos of her singing to Max, he was mesmerised. We called her the voice of an angel,” said Suzanne
“The progressiveness of this tumour doesn’t give you much time. On August 11, he passed away.” Suzanne and Barry threw themselves into fundraising, netting £4000 for the Shooting Star Hospice in Guildford and £19,000 for the Grace Kelly Childhood Cancer Trust.
Last October, family and friends raised more than £7000 in the RBC Race for the Kids for Great Ormond Street. “I felt like I was being a mum to Max, and helping others,” said Suzanne, who is expecting a sister for her boy. “We want to tell her how brave her brother is and what we can do to help others.” She hopes Beth wins the £250,000 BGT prize, adding: “I’d love to sing the song with her but most of all, I’d love to give her a hug.”
● Max’s family are taking part in the first virtual RBC Race for the Kids on October 17 and 18, rbcraceforthekids.com. And visit maxthebravefund.org and justgiving.com/fundraising/teammaxthebrave
You will never know how much I love you; And oh, you had to go... You taught me what love is; For just less than a year; I never slept at all; And I’ll never sleep again
BETH PORCH SONG THAT PUT HER IN SHOW’S SEMI-FINALS