Highland Heroes 2025: Brave child shortlist revealed – VOTE NOW!
VOTE for your brave child of the year by midnight on Monday, February 10!
Melissa Mathieson
Teenager Melissa Mathieson has faced an uphill struggle throughout her young life dealing with severe eczema and also asthma.
The painful skin condition has meant the Culloden Academy pupil has been in and out of hospital since she was just two and throughout her life has had to take strong antibiotics, light treatments and also injections every two weeks. The eczema is so severe that she was unable to attend school for 18 months and at one stage had to spend 10 weeks in hospital receiving treatment.
And the impact of the skin condition has not only affected her body but also Melissa’s mental health too. She has returned to school although there are many activities, such as swimming, she can’t enjoy due to her eczema.
A nomination said: “She has had to deal with a lot for such a young child. The pain she
endured was horrific. Her treatment is still ongoing and probably will be for some years yet to come.”
However, mum Shona said Melissa has shown great bravery throughout her treatments and dealing with her condition every day: “It has really taken its toll on her and her mental health has suffered. She has been bullied because of her condition.
“Melissa tries to be upbeat and she puts on a brave face. I hope being shortlisted for a Highland Heroes award will give her a wee boost.”
Amelia Jo Kelly
Amelia Jo Kelly has gone through more in her young life than most adults can expect to face in a lifetime.
But whatever the setbacks and challenges, Amelia battles on and is a true inspiration.
Amelia weighed just three pounds when she was born prematurely and has had to fight every day of her life against life-threatening sepsis infections, gut dysmotility, and eosinophilic oesophagitis (EoE) , a condition affecting the food pipe.
Amelia is also non-verbal autistic and is tube-fed.
On one occasion, after six long weeks in hospital she got home for just eight hours before her temperature spiked and she had to go back in to treat yet another sepsis infection.
Mum, Kelly Macrae, established Amelia’s Young Highlander Awards in her honour to recognise inspirational young people in the Highlands and to raise funds for various organisations.
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She also fundraised to enable Amelia to see a world-renowned speech therapist in London and they will be heading back for a follow-up appointment later this year.
A nomination praised Amelia for being a brave warrior: “Amelia has spent more than half her life in hospitals fighting infections and viruses. Five months in hospital and Amelia took it all in her stride.
On hearing Amelia had been nominated mum Kelly said: “I’m absolutely stunned!”
Rehan Hassan
Like many teenagers, Rehan Hassan is working through his gap year before planning his next big move!
But unlike most young people, Rehan also has to plan his life around his health.
Rehan (17) was born with a rare chronic liver disease, Biliary Atresia. The condition has no cure and Rehan will require a liver transplant if his condition deteriorates.
He has to regularly attend clinics, take medication and undergo scans and blood tests.
Although it has prevented him from taking part in some activities that he would love to do, such as football, it has not stopped the teenager from enjoying life to the full!
He has recently completed his motorbike compulsory basic training (CBT) and is currently working as a clerk at his local post office in his gap year after leaving Inverness Royal Academy.
A nomination praised his bravery: “He is so positive with everything, despite having such a serious illness. He is very committed and determined to do well. He deserves to be shown how much his family, friends and now local customers who he has built a rapport with, appreciate how well he is doing and to give him the encouragement to follow his dreams.”
Mum, Abida, was delighted he had been shortlisted: “He’s happy and excited about it. He deserves the recognition. He does a lot for his family and for other people. He’s always got other people’s interests at heart.”
Macleod & MacCallum is sponsoring the Highland Heroes 2025 award for brave child of the year.
Managing director at Macleod & MacCallum, Peter Mason, said: “We are delighted to once again support Highland Heroes and in particular the brave child of the year award. There are so many brave children in our community who have faced lots of challenges and adversity in their young lives, and these awards are a chance to let them know how inspiring and valued they are.”
Chief executive of the legal firm, Alison Martin, added: “Everyone at Macleod & MacCallum would encourage everybody to get behind Highland Heroes 2025 and support this important campaign. Please vote for a brave child in your community. They deserve to be celebrated for battling through their difficulties and being nominated is a recognition of what they have achieved in their young lives.”
Peter added: “Macleod & MacCallum have supported the brave child award since the first Highland Heroes awards in 2017 and the nominations are always so inspiring and humbling. It would be great if as many people as possible could support these awards by voting – it means so much to the young people who are nominated to realise how much support they have in the wider community.”