George from Linton Infants School was presented with his Courageous Advocacy Award by the Revd Mandy Flaherty, Development Officer for Schools Mission. George is only 4 years old and has already overcome so much. Born with a condition called Tracheo-Oesophageal Fistula and Oesophageal Atresia (TOF/OA) - a condition which affects one in every 3,500 babies - George had surgery at just 2 days old. He has had a number of follow up operations to stretch his oesophagus and remove stuck food, as well as having some physio to make his breathing easier.
George's parents say that they are still learning how to cope with his condition and a few new challenges have been thrown up recently, adding that George is much better at coping with these challenges than the rest of us! This learning curve is being made so much easier with the support offered by TOFS charity, who have provided invaluable information about moving on through different foods, and have also offered a platform for discussing parental worries as they come across new challenges as he grows.
TOFS charity has also given very helpful advice to George's school too. With the support of the charity, George made a film to show what happens when food gets stuck and what we need to do to help him. You can watch the video here: George's OA/TOF story – TOFS | OA/TOF Support.
George is very able to share what difficulties he faces and is very open about his condition. He is very knowledgeable and will happily talk to others about the challenges he faces. Despite the day to day challenges he faces, George takes things in his stride and is very modest about his efforts.