A mum who looks after her seriously ill son 24/7 is to be whisked away to the Dorchester Hotel in London after winning a top caring award.

Jill Evans, 42, of Birkby, is one of a small group of parents of children with exceptional health needs from across the UK which has been named as a winner in the prestigious national 2016 WellChild Awards.

She will collect the Special Recognition Award at the Dorchester on October 3 having been nominated by the national charity for seriously ill children, WellChild’s head of family services, Hannah Bemand.

Jill Evans with son Noah
Jill Evans with son Noah

When her five-year-old son Noah was born in Calderdale Royal Hospital he was not breathing and he spent the next 10 months being cared for at a specialist hospital in Liverpool.

He was diagnosed with the interstitial lung disease Tracheomalacia and was the 19th person in the world to be so diagnosed.

He spent the first year of his life lying down and didn’t learn to crawl.

He has only recently learned how to walk and his bedroom is decked out in the manner of an intensive care unit.

Noah McNeill
Noah McNeill

But with the help of WellChild nurses, his family received the equipment and training needed for them to be together at home.

Although Jillian and her partner Colin McNeill receive medical care so he can stay at home it is a constant, draining battle to ensure his survival as disaster could strike at any moment.

They have always got to be prepared to resuscitate their son and two people must be with him at all times.

Despite this Jill tries to make sure he and his little brother Oscar, who does not have the same condition, live as normal a life as is possible.

She said: “He goes to a mainstream school, St Joseph’s in Dalton, attends Rugby Tots and play gym and I have even started taking him swimming.

“I’m delighted to have been nominated for the award and it is a very exciting prospect to be attending this special evening with Colin and our two boys.

Jill Evans with son Noah
Jill Evans with son Noah

“It’s very rare that we can go on holiday as organising all Noah’s care is akin to running a small military operation.”

Jill and Colin, as well as a number of other parents, have been recognised by WellChild for their selfless dedication and passion in heading up the #NOTANURSE_BUT campaign in these awards which celebrate the courage of children coping with serious illnesses or complex conditions.

They honour the dedication of professionals and others who go the extra mile to help sick children and their families.