Katie Callaghan
Nominee Profile
Location: Essex
Katie Callaghan BCAv is the founder of the charity Cards for Bravery and an advocate for young people in healthcare. Growing up with chronic illness, disability, and rare disease, she spent much of her childhood and teenage years in hospital. Rather than letting her experiences limit her, Katie used them to create positive change for others.
At just 13 years old, during a four month long hospital stay, Katie founded Cards for Bravery. The charity has since grown to support over 50,000 hospitalised and chronically ill children and young people across the UK, brightening their days and providing comfort and hope during some of their most difficult times. Over the past 11 years, Katie has led the charity from wherever she could, including her hospital bed and outpatient waiting rooms.
Katie is also a passionate advocate for youth voice in healthcare. Following a difficult transition from paediatric to adult services, which led to leaving her in preventable critical condition, she has worked tirelessly to improve healthcare transition for others. Her contributions include shaping NICE guidelines, speaking at national conferences, and co-authoring a research report with NHS England on young people’s experiences of transition. Her work has influenced national policy, including helping to persuade the Department of Health and Social Care to launch an inquiry into transition from children to adult services, where she spoke at the House of Commons sharing her lived experience.
In addition to healthcare transition, Katie advocates for rare disease awareness, particularly for her own condition, CIPO, recently helping to set up an awareness day, and supports youth involvement in rare disease policy and awareness initiatives.
Katie doesn’t do this work for recognition, she does it as it’s her passion and what makes her happiest. Through her charity, leadership and advocacy, she has directly supported thousands of children and young people across the UK, helping them feel seen, heard, and less alone.
At just 13 years old, during a four month long hospital stay, Katie founded Cards for Bravery. The charity has since grown to support over 50,000 hospitalised and chronically ill children and young people across the UK, brightening their days and providing comfort and hope during some of their most difficult times. Over the past 11 years, Katie has led the charity from wherever she could, including her hospital bed and outpatient waiting rooms.
Katie is also a passionate advocate for youth voice in healthcare. Following a difficult transition from paediatric to adult services, which led to leaving her in preventable critical condition, she has worked tirelessly to improve healthcare transition for others. Her contributions include shaping NICE guidelines, speaking at national conferences, and co-authoring a research report with NHS England on young people’s experiences of transition. Her work has influenced national policy, including helping to persuade the Department of Health and Social Care to launch an inquiry into transition from children to adult services, where she spoke at the House of Commons sharing her lived experience.
In addition to healthcare transition, Katie advocates for rare disease awareness, particularly for her own condition, CIPO, recently helping to set up an awareness day, and supports youth involvement in rare disease policy and awareness initiatives.
Katie doesn’t do this work for recognition, she does it as it’s her passion and what makes her happiest. Through her charity, leadership and advocacy, she has directly supported thousands of children and young people across the UK, helping them feel seen, heard, and less alone.