05-05-2025
Inspirational 10-year-old battled cancer with strength and courage
CALLUM Walmsley is only 10 but he has already faced the battle of his life – and won!
In 2023, then nine-year-old Callum was diagnosed with high grade lymphoma – stage three Burkitt's lymphoma.
He is the very worthy winner of our Child of the Year Award 2025.
The 10th annual Warrington Guardian Inspiration Awards took place at The Village Hotel last Wednesday evening, April 23.
The glittering event was hosted by Hits Radio presenter Leanne Campbell and PopVox Choir Warrington opened the show.
Special honours were given to charity champions and talented teachers as well as heroes in the community, sporting stars and fabulous fundraisers.
All of the night's winners feature in a special edition of this week's Warrington Guardian – a 16-page supplement in shops now.
Click here to see all our Inspiration Awards winners.
He was so poorly that his family were told that he might not survive as a large tumour was blocking his liver, which had started to fail, leaving him jaundiced and anaemic, and he also had sepsis.
Child of the Year Award winner Callum Walmsley with Kelly Roslyn from Christeyns
Mum said: 'I was taken to the family room to be told the devastating news of how critically unwell Callum was.
'I was told to get the family together as he wasn't expected to make it through the next 24 hours.
'Thankfully, he proved everyone wrong and was taken to Alder Hey Hospital the following morning where he started his chemotherapy.
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15 of the best photos from the Warrington Guardian Inspiration Awards 2025
'Callum underwent three months of intense chemotherapy, which made his hair fall out, but he never complained once and still had his cheeky smile!
'He had to go to theatre for lumbar punctures every week and had chemotherapy in his spine to prevent the cancer spreading to his brain.
'After three long months, Callum finally rang the end of treatment bell on January 11 last year and he was allowed home on January 31 once his immune system was safe.'
Child of the Year Award winner Callum Walmsley
Callum is now 15 months into remission and in Year 5 at St Bridgit's Catholic Primary School, back to his old self, and enjoying watching Warrington Wolves, having been presented with a season ticket from Josh Thewlis – his favourite player.
He has regular scans at Alder Hey and this will continue for the next five years.
Highly commended in this category were Aneeshwar Kunchala and Nathan-Jack Gerrard.
Aneeshwar creates educational videos on ecosystem conservation and holds the Guinness World Record for being the youngest documentary presenter.
Nathan-Jack is an autism and selective mutism advocate, who has been promoting inclusion and acceptance to change societal perceptions of autism, ensuring that autistic individuals like himself and his little brother are respected and included in all aspects of life.
