Andrew O`donnell

Andrew is my son, he is a remarkable young man. At the age of 5 he was seriously injured in a fire which killed his little sister and left him with over 85 per cent third degree burns over 80 per cent of which have been skin grafted. Andrew was also rendered severely deaf as a result of the accident. For most of his life Andrew has undergone dozens of operations to restore functionality to his body. He has borne this and the everyday trials his disabilities present with heroic indifference. In spite of his injuries, his deafness, bullying and months spent off school for operations he managed not only to do well but to excel. He graduated from Liverpool University in 2010 as a Vet, despite being told at school that it was "an unrealistic goal"... Growing up he took part in every activity he could manage including the Duke of Edinburgh Gold Awards, Army Cadets, Sailing and Open Water Diving. He excelled in all, always refusing the 'special treatment' offered by these bodies to make his tasks easier on account of his disabilities. His courage and fortitude in the face of such exceptional adversity over the years has earned him, as a child, the medal of courage and Child of Achievement award. He is an inspirational character who never fails to impress and influence those he meets and it would be wonderful if, as an adult this young man had some recognition of how, with the right attitude and some effort anything can be achieved.