OVER the next few days we will be publishing our interviews with the winners at this year's Pride of St Helens Award.
We have a 16-page supplement of the awards night complete with all images and the interviews for sale in shops across St Helens inside this week's St Helens Star, all costing just 80p.
The next award interview is that of Laura Mahon, who won the Courage Award.
THIS was one of the hardest categories on the night, with the judges having the nigh on impossible task of deciding which of the bravehearts should win.
However, the winner on the night was the incredibly brave Laura Mahon.
Laura, 31, from Lea Green, was diagnosed with a glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) brain tumour in September 2021 when she was 27 weeks pregnant.
Doctors originally believed the baby was pressing on a nerve, but she was sent to The Walton Centre for an MRI scan; which led to the discovery of the tumour.
She and her husband Danny, 29, made the toughest decision of their lives; and opted to bring their daughter into the world at 30 weeks and on November 30, 2021, Sienna Grace Laura Mahon was born, weighing just 3.4lbs After the birth of her daughter Laura was given the devastating news that her tumour was grade four and she had around a year to live.
That was almost two years ago and Laura and Danny have married, Sienna is thriving and the family do all they can to create memories and raise awareness of brain tumour research and live for today.
She’s also raised thousands for charity alongside her family and via her Instagram brings hope to others living on what she terms as "borrowed time".
Laura said: “I didn’t expect to win this award but I’m very proud to be here and hope it raises awareness.
“It was a big decision to put our lives out there, to risk putting our pain online but I hoped to help others realise that a terminal diagnosis is not the end.
“You have to fight, no one knows how long they have and the only positive from this is the realisation to not take anything for granted, I cherish all the memories and time I have with Sienna and people I love.
“That’s the message really, live every day like it’s your last.”
Her dad David added: “And to not give up, it would have been easy to do that but she’s here and we are all so proud of her, we are a family and support her no matter what.
"We are Team Sienna and as much as we call ourselves that - including Danny’s parents too – we are all here for each other. That’s what is important.”
Highly commended were Lisa Ormrod and Billy Ward.
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