‘Noah wants to be a hero but to us he already is’
YOUNGSTER’S SELFIE CHOSEN BY PRINCE HARRY AS ONE OF WINNING ENTRIES IN COMPETITION
A HUDDERSFIELD boy who was born with a rare lung disease has come second in a photograph competition judged by Prince Harry.
Patron of children’s charity WellChild, Prince Harry, The Duke of Sussex was Chair of Judges as Noah McNeill, 10, was chosen among the winners in the competition called Hopes and Dreams: My Life through a Lens, for the children and young people WellChild supports.
Noah’s photo, Naked, was chosen in second place.
Noah suffers from interstitial lung disease, which causes scarring of the lungs, and spent the first nine months of his life in hospital. He now has a tracheostomy to keep his airway open, and a ventilator to help him breathe at night.
His mum Jill Evans said:
“Noah took this photo at
Whitby Abbey in August. Whitby Abbey is the setting of Bram Stoker’s book, Dracula. We had just watched a play of Dracula within the grounds and Noah took this selfie with the famous Abbey in the background.
“In the photo, Noah appears naked and vulnerable like Dracula’s victims. However, when I asked him which of the characters he would most like to be, he said Jonathan Harker because he was the bravest when he killed Dracula. He said that Harker was a hero and saved the day. Noah said that he would also like to be a hero. To us he is a total hero.”
Entries came in from children nationwide illustrating what life is like for young people and families living with serious health needs.
In addition to The Duke of Sussex, judges of the competition included world renowned photographer David Yarrow and TV presenters Gaby Roslin and Ed Chamberlin.
The Duke of Sussex said:
“The children and families I’ve had the honour of meeting over my years working with WellChild have shown incredible optimism, courage, and resilience.
“I wasn’t only proud to participate as a judge in this exhibition – I was deeply moved by each and every photograph, as they capture a moment and say so much about their personal story.”
Finalists will have their photos displayed online, at WellChild Art Auction 2021 events and at the WellChild Awards 2022. Each finalist will also receive a framed copy of their picture. The auction, which is WellChild’s flagship fundraiser of the year, has attracted works from artists including Ronnie Wood, David Yarrow, Anish Kapoor, Jake Chapman, David Mach and Richard Long, who are all donating and, in some cases, creating work for the charity’s 2021 collection. The charity provides a national network of children’s nurses, who work with families to ensure that children with complex care needs can leave hospital and return home.
To find out more visit www.wellchild.org.uk.
I was deeply moved by each and every photograph, as they capture a moment and say so much about
their personal story