Samira and Naima Chung-Graham, aged 14, help care for their older sister who has a number of long-term health conditions
Two twins from Haringey described as “absolute heroes” have received a national award for the “unwavering support” they provide for their older sister.
Samira and Naima Chung-Graham, aged 14, were named as winners in the prestigious 2026 WellChild Awards, after being nominated by their mother, Denise Chung.
They received their award at the Royal Lancaster Hotel in London last month, where they spent time with WellChild patron Prince Harry and other celebrity guests.
WellChild is the national charity for seriously ill children and this year’s event celebrated 20 years of the charity’s flagship WellChild Nurse programme, which has prevented tens of thousands of hospital admissions for children and young people living with serious illnesses in the UK.
Chosen from hundreds of nominations across the UK, Samira and Naima were selected as the winners of the Inspirational Sibling Award, recognising the “exceptional compassion and unwavering support” shown for their seriously ill sister, Nya.
Nya, aged 23, has complex health needs including cerebral palsy, epilepsy and severe visual impairment. Nya requires round-the-clock care, specialist equipment and support from a wide range of healthcare professionals.
Despite their young age, Samira and Naima play an important role in her daily care, helping with everything from personal care to keeping her safe, and “always with patience, kindness and maturity beyond their years”.
While their mum attends regular dialysis treatment, Samira and Naima step up to help care for Nya, and even spent their summer holiday at her bedside to comfort and support her, following major surgery.
Alongside their caring responsibilities, both continue to work hard at school and never lose sight of their own academic ambitions.
Mum Denise said: “Samira and Naima are the absolute heartbeat of our family, and seeing their unwavering devotion to Nya recognized on a national stage leaves me bursting with pride. Living with chronic illnesses like lupus and undergoing regular dialysis means our daily life comes with heavy challenges, but they step up every single day with a maturity, patience, and fierce love that completely blows me away.
“They don’t just help care for Nya; they protect her, they champion her, and they love her with every ounce of their being. They are my absolute heroes, and this Inspirational Sibling Award is a testament to the beautiful, intelligent, and selfless young women they are.”
Prince Harry attended the awards to meet winners and their families at a pre-ceremony reception and delivered a speech during the event. He said: “The WellChild Awards are always a very special evening because they give us the opportunity to celebrate an extraordinary group of children and young people living with complex medical needs, as well as the families who support them every single day.”
Among other star guests were Dame Kelly Holmes, Gok Wan, McFly drummer Harry Judd and pop star and presenter Peter Andre. The evening was hosted by WellChild ambassador Gaby Roslin.
The charity’s chief executive, Matt James, added: “The WellChild Awards are an incredibly special moment each year to pause and celebrate some of the truly remarkable stories from within our national network of children living with complex medical needs, their families, the children’s nurses and the professionals caring for them.
“The event is all about shining a bright spotlight on their triumphs, their bravery, their kindness and their determination to live well in the face of complex medical challenges. It’s more important than ever that we are loud and clear about this growing population of young people who, all too often, feel unrecognised in our society.”
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