Newton Abbot girl Anna-Mae Cole has been named as a winner in the national WellChild Children's Health Awards 2008 after being nominated by friend Vikki George.
The 12-year-old Stover School pupil will receive her award when she attends the fourth annual WellChild Award ceremony at Lords Cricket Ground, London, on Monday.
She was picked from record numbers of nominations to win the category of Best Brave Child by an esteemed panel of judges put together by WellChild – the national charity for sick children – consisting of members of parliament and health professionals.
Anna-Mae has a condition called Charcot-Marie Tooth Disease (CMT), a condition affecting the nerves of the arms and legs, as well as a rare genetic disorder called Cherubism.
What makes these illnesses all the more difficult to cope with is the fact that the features from both are extremely visible.
The Cherubism causes Anna-Mae to develop facial tumors, dramatically changing the shape of her face, and treatment for the CMT has involved her having to have both legs set in plaster for one week every month for a staggering ten years in order to try and stretch her tendons.
Despite this the WellChild Award judges heard that Anna-Mae refuses to be fazed by her problems and does not let it get in the way of her busy schedule of swimming, athletics and horse riding.
'We are so proud of her,' said her mum Ann Cole.
'We didn't know that Vikki had nominated her for the award and it was such a lovely surprise. To hear she had won was even more of a surprise.
'We are all going to London to celebrate with Anna-Mae. I am going, so is her dad Andrew, grandad Gordon Green, my best friend Viv Johnson and my two children Henry and William.'
It is the second award Anna-Mae has won. She was awarded Teignbridge Sports Personality of the Year in the disabled section last year.
'I am amazed at how well she does. I don't see her as any different from any other child, she is an inspiration,' said Mrs Cole.