THE BRAVE Belbroughton boy dubbed ‘Finn the Fabulous’ has won the John Petchey Young Hero of the Year accolade at the 2023 Anthony Nolan Supporter Awards (ANSAs).
Finley Hill, who is 11, was awarded the title for his incredible courage which has inspired and supported young patients.
Throughout 2022, and with the support of his parents, Finn shared his stem cell transport story. Through social media, Finn has spread the word about his experiences and encouraged people to sign up to the stem cell register often creating entertaining and informational videos to get the message across.
The John Petchey Young Hero of the Year award, supported by the Jack Petchey Foundation, is presented to an outstanding young person demonstrating incredible courage during a fight against blood cancer. It also recognises those making a marked difference to the lives of other patients and supported the work of Anthony Nolan.
John Petchey died after a stem cell transplant in 2015 and the award was created in his memory.
John’s daughter Lauren presented the award to Finn at The Tower of London – the first in-person ANSAs since the pandemic.
At the special ceremony, Finn’s mum, Jo Hill, shared her family’s story and talked about Finn’s superhero-like strength and will to ensure those watching his journey are inspired to support Anthony Nolan’s work and register as stem cell donors.
Having been discharged from hospital five months ago, Finn’s humorous personality shines through in his video creations. His goal is to inspire thousands more to join the stem cell donor register.
Taking centre-stage on the night, he said: “I’m so happy and I’m so honoured to be here tonight.”
Lauren said: “Tonight was spectacular. It’s always so emotional because there are lots of personal stories.
“A lot of people in this room have been on a similar journey to me and my family, so it feels very close to home.
“But to see the look on Finn’s face when it was announced he was the winner – that is amazing, it really is.”
Henny Braund, chief executive of Anthony Nolan, said: “Finn is a hugely deserving winner of this award – his incredible support and passion for our work is a fantastic example of our charity, which is built on making lifesaving connections.
“It was lovely to meet Finn and his family – I continue to find myself inspired and humbled by the dedication and strength of supporters like him.”
Visit anthonynolan.org/awards to find out more about the ANSAs.
