She is one in a million
CARING Helen O’Rourke is truly one in a million as she dedicates her life to disabled children and underprivileged youngsters, as well as raising money for charity.
And the 51-year-old has been nominated for our Chronicle Champions Award by grateful parent Deborah Smith.
Helen has been looking after Deborah’s daughter, Chloe Metcalfe, for 11 years and says she couldn’t do without her.
Brave Chloe, who is unable to walk or talk due to a rare genetic condition, was given one of our Champion Child of Courage awards back in 2012.
But now the tables have turned and Helen has been put forward for the award in the Community Champions section. “It’s lovely but I’m absolutely shocked,” said Helen, of Delves Lane, near Consett, County Durham. “Chloe is part of the family; my three sons treat her like a little sister. Chloe is a lovely girl and I wouldn’t be without her. “She stays at our house once a week for respite and we love having her. All the kids with special needs bring something special to our house. I just love them all to bits.” Helen also travels to Sierra Leone to run marathons and raise money for the Street Child charity, where her son, Mark Maughan, 27, works. Her other sons, Joseph, 29, and Michael, 23, have also run for the organisation. Deborah, of Consett, County Durham, said: “Helen is amazing. She is a childminder who looks after disabled children, most of whom are severely disabled. She is so loving and caring with them, communicating to them through sign language as most have no speech. As well as this, she raises lots of money for charity and has completed numerous marathons – one of the latest being in Sierra Leone.
“She is so positive and we are so lucky to have her in our lives. She has been looking after disabled children in her own home for over 10 years now and fundraising for much longer.
Remembering when she first met Helen, when Chloe was a baby, Deborah said: “Because Chloe can’t talk, Helen even learned baby sign language so they could communicate. She is one a million and I don’t know where we would get another one of her. She is brilliant and her dedication needs to be recognised.”
Blueline Taxis is the associate sponsor of the Chronicle Champions event. The firm’s managing director, Ian Shanks, and operations director, Lee Clayton, are trustees of North East charity Bravehearts, which recognises the courage and bravery of children.
There are opportunities for more businesses to be involved.
If you are interested, call Amy Evans on 0191 201 6092.