Lucy Watts MBE

I'm a Patient Leader, Charity Ambassador, Blogger, Writer and Speaker, working with seven core charities in the roles of Ambassador, Trustee and Board Member. For my charitable work, I received an MBE in the 2016 New Years Honours, at the age of 22, for services to young people with disabilities. My work takes the form of writing, blogging, speaking, appearing in videos and on TV and radio, proof reading documents, updating and managing a charity's social media accounts and website, and I was recently made Co-Applicant and Project Advisor on a research project. I also have my own blog, www.lucy-watts.co.uk, and a documentary in the making.

I'm 23 years old and have a number of complex health conditions including a rare, degenerative muscle-wasting disorder as well as multiple organ failure, dependent on being fed via a line directly into my heart, and and completely wheelchair dependent.

I have a wonderful Assistance Dog called Molly, a 4 year old Working Cocker Spaniel, who I trained with help from Dog Assistance in Disability (Dog A.I.D.). Molly became only the fourth dog, and the fourteenth animal, ever to receive the "Animal OBE", the PDSA Order of Merit. Molly and I were also Friends for Life winners at Crufts 2014. She has transformed my life, and without Molly, I wouldn't have ever had the confidence to do the charity work I do. I owe so much to her. Molly has her own blog, too.