East Lothian mum who lost son at 24 up for special award after vital charity work

Moray, Greg, Joyce and Jodie
-Credit: (Image: Reach Publishing Services Limited)


An East Lothian woman has opened up on the touching reason she works so closely with brain injury charity, Headway, after being nominated for a special award for her selfless work.

Joyce Cattanach, 58, said the "trauma" she has experienced over the years - including losing her son at 24-years-old - has pushed her to help other families experiencing the same issues.

In September 2023 we reported how both Joyce’s children, Jodie and Greg, were born with Leber’s Congenital Amaurosis - a condition which involves a visual impairment. However, when Greg was in school, he was diagnosed with kidney failure and sadly passed away on March 19, 2017.

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Speaking to Edinburgh Live, Joyce said: "I really have experienced a lot of trauma in my life. Both our kids had Leber’s Congenital Amaurosis but Greg had additional needs including a visual impairment, a learning disability and hypertonia.

"When Greg was still in school he was diagnosed with kidney failure. We went through the interventions and in the end we decided with the doctors we would go down the rote of quality of life rather than quantity of life

"So when he was diagnosed he was given 18 months to live but we did get another seven years which we are so grateful for. So Greg died March 19, 2017 and sadly my mum had taken ill a fortnight before that.

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"She died on the Thursday and Greg died on the Sunday so it was incredibly tough for all of us so I had to find coping mechanisms."

Due to experiences, Joyce has been recognised as ‘going the extra mile’ for brain injury survivors, with a nomination from leading UK brain injury charity, Headway.

Joyce’s ‘ceaseless and resolute dedication’ to Headway East Lothian has led to her becoming one of just three finalists for the Extra Mile Award at the Headway Annual Awards.

She said the award "means so much to her" and praised the staff she works with.

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Joyce added: "I have worked at Headway for 18 years. The board spoke to all the service users and they decided to nominate me for the going the extra mile award. It honestly means so much to me - when they let me know I couldn't believe it."

The awards will take place in London on Thursday, December 5 2024.