Schoolgirl Mia meets royalty as she picks up ‘inspirational’ award
A REMARKABLE schoolgirl from Pontypridd met with royalty as she headed to London to pick up an award.
Mia Thorne, 12, who has a form of cerebral palsy, was the winner of the Inspirational Child category at the WellChild awards and got to meet the Duke and Duchess of Sussex at the ceremony held at the Royal Lancaster Hotel.
Mia, who was chosen out of hundreds of nominees from across the UK, was selected because of her courage in coping with her complex condition. She has congenital hemiplegia, which affects mobility on her right side.
She is hypermobile, hypertonic and is prone to dislocation and relies on a wheelchair for when her joints become too painful. Although Mia’s disability does mean that she has some challenging days, she does not let this hold her back.
Mia is ambassador for two charities and she has raised more than £90,000 through fundraising events.
She even campaigned for improved access to play parks for disabled children, leading to new legislation that all parks in Wales should be accessible.
Her mum Karen nominated her, saying Mia had always been very outspoken about what she believes and not afraid to push herself to her limit.
Karen said: “She has seen that she can make a difference and how the money she raises helps children with equipment or breaks away. She continues to have a positive view on not letting disability hold her back despite the pain and challenges.”