Mother who helped hundreds of families up for top award

Tracey Franklin, from Brough, in East Yorkshire, will find out today at a ceremony in Manchester whether she has won the NHS England award for her “unflagging determination” to improve specialist healthcare for her
son and hundreds of other families.

Her son Jack, who is now 17, was only three when he was diagnosed with Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

The condition causes muscles, including those of the heart and lungs, to waste and weaken over time, leading to increasing disability and significantly shortening life-expectancy.

Mrs Franklin was part of a
successful campaign for specialist physiotherapy for adults
in West Yorkshire with the condition.

She also helped secure advisors to support families in Hull, Sheffield and Leeds, is an active member of her local support group, and has raised thousands for the Muscular Dystrophy Campaign, which nominated her for the award.

The charity’s chief executive, Robert Meadowcroft, said: “What Tracey has achieved is no mean feat. By having the courage and resolve to talk about difficult, personal issues facing her family and others like them, she has helped secure a new role that will benefit hundreds of families in Yorkshire and Humberside. We owe Tracey an enormous debt of gratitude for all of the incredible work that she has done.”

Mrs Franklin said she was honoured, adding: “Jack is a teenager now. His needs are going to change – and will keep on changing – throughout his entire life, and as he gets older, he will need more help with managing his condition. Adult services in Yorkshire and Humber are still a real grey area for people with conditions like my son. The lack of specialist physiotherapy was a huge concern for the family.”