2024 Shortlisted Nominee
Lifetime Achiever Award
Gillian's caregiving journey began at age 7 when her mother left her father, who faced severe mental health challenges. Raised by her grandmother, Gillian took on caring roles for her siblings amid bullying at school due to her father's condition. At 19, she became a mother to a daughter with cerebral palsy, navigating full-time wheelchair use while managing her own health struggles, including a necessary hysterectomy after her son's birth. In 1995, she pursued education at college to gain skills she had missed earlier, driven by a passion to aid families of disabled children. This journey led to her founding Kidz Aware in 2006, a social enterprise rooted in equality, inspiration, and embrace. Kidz Aware empowers disabled children and adults, ensuring they have opportunities to achieve their aspirations and embodying Gillian's lifelong commitment to caregiving and advocacy.