TEENAGER Dawud Ghafar will be linked-up live to a top honours ceremony in London while holidaying in Disneyland Florida with a children’s charity.

The 14-year-old from Bradford found out he had won a seat with charity Dreamflight on the 12-day trip of a lifetime, not long after he was invited to pick up an award for bravery at a star-studded ceremony later this month.

The Laisterdyke Academy pupil who has arthritis and alopecia which causes him to lose his hair, is counting down the days until he jets off to the States.

Dawud, who lives in the Leeds Road area, was nominated for both the trip and for the Inspirational Young persons category in the 2017 WellChild Awards by his Community Play Specialist Lisa Smith.

He was chosen from hundreds of nominations across the UK to win the WellChild Award and was invited to collect his prize on October 16 at the Royal Lancaster Hotel in front of a crowd including A-list celebrities and possibly Prince Harry who is the Awards’ Royal Patron but just days later, a letter arrived from Dreamflight saying he had won a place on the trip.

His proud mum Rifat said Dawud could not believe his luck after going through such “ a tough time”.

The teenager, who is a carer for his mum who has chronic asthma, was diagnosed with juvenile idiopathic arthritis in October 2012 and in 2015 had to cope with his father’s death - 36-year-old Abdul died from pneumonia on his way back from work.

The heartbreak made his arthritis even worse but he managed to stay strong for his mum and younger brother Mustafa who is now nine

Mrs Ghafar 34, said: “Dawud is my rock. Despite everything he has stayed strong and kept smiling. He deserves a break. He has kept us together as a family. We are so proud of him.”

Dawud’s mother, brother Mustafa and his aunt and uncle will be going to London to pick up the award for him.

Mrs Ghafar said: “They are going to do a link-up, hopefully, from Florida to London so he can still do a little acceptance speech, we hope!”

His Community Play Specialist Lisa Smith said: “In his short life, Dawud has had to deal with the pain from his illness and pain from a broken heart.

“His daily life involves taking medication, attending hospital appointments, observing his mum and supporting his young brother as well as going to school and being Dawud!”

“He has been a fantastic big brother encouraging his brother to remember their dad by making memory books and joining in other activities.

“He has become the man of the house and uses DIY skills learnt from his dad to help his mum out.

“He is a delightful young man, I’m sure his dad would be super proud of the person he has become, I am!”

WellChild’s Director of Programmes Linda Partridge, said: “Dawud truly deserves to be the winner of this award.”