Inspirational teenager Mikey Akers named Pride of Birmingham winner
An inspirational teenager from Balsall Common, who conquered a debilitating speech impairment and set up a support group for others, has been named a winner at the Pride of Birmingham awards.
Mikey Akers has been named the winner of the Stephen Sutton Inspiration Award for his tireless campaigning to raise awareness about verbal dyspraxia.
Mikey, who was diagnosed when he was two years old, struggled to learn to speak and could not make himself understood by anyone outside of his family until he was eight.
The condition meant that the Alderbrook School pupil struggled to form the precise mouth movements needed to produce sounds, making speech very difficult.
Mikey admits that sometimes his condition could make him feel lonely, but believes that finally being able to ‘find his voice’ made him into the person he is today.
Despite the crippling condition, and at one point being put back four years at school, Mikey worked relentlessly to overcome the condition and recently achieved six GCSEs.
He later went on to found Mikey’s Wish https://www.facebook.com/mikeyswish/ a campaign and support group for verbal dyspraxia.
“Watching everyone around me finding talking so easy when I had to work so hard to find my voice was difficult,” admits Mikey.
“Growing up knowing I was different; struggling every day in school; being sent to a senior school away from my friends because they had a learning support unit; not being able to express my intelligence either verbally or in my school work – it was all so hard.
“It did knock my self-esteem and confidence so badly.
“Living with a diagnosis that no-one has heard of is also so lonely, even though I have always been surrounded by an amazing group of friends.
“I do believe, though, that it is my fight to find my voice that has moulded me into the person I am today.
“It has given me the fight to stand up for what I believe in, given me the compassion to want to help others in a similar situation to me and the determination and stubbornness to never give in until I achieve my ‘wish’.
“My group Mikey’s Wish has helped me realise just how many other people share my diagnosis and has helped me feel less alone.
“It also feels great to realise just how many other people I am helping. It gives me a sense of belonging, almost like a reason for being. “I have a saying that “I was chosen for this, one of the selected few.”
Three years ago, Mikey wrote a poem titled I Am The Boy, which brilliantly articulated his wish to raise awareness about his little-known condition.
Shortly afterwards, with the help of his family, he set up campaign group Mikey’s Wish to spread the word about verbal dyspraxia to support children and families all over the world.
The 16-year-old has also raised more than £5,000 for the Dyspraxia Foundation, and £3,000 for his former primary school to pay for four children to have speech therapy.
“Mikey realised that all the support groups out there were from the point of views of parents,” says Mikey’s mum, Louisa.
“He wanted to share his personal story, and also connect with others who were going through the same thing as him.
“When he was diagnosed, I had never ever heard of it, and he worked so hard to learn to speak.
“He’s very intelligent, but because it affected his literacy it was impossible for him to prove it so school was very hard.
“He’s so humble, but I am very proud of what he’s done.”
Now, Mikey has been named a winner at this year’s Pride of Birmingham Awards, being held at the historic Great Hall at the University of Birmingham this Thursday (8th March).
Hosted by Coronation Street’s Kym Marsh, who began her acting career in Birmingham, the awards honour courage, caring, compassion and community.
“I was so excited and shocked to hear that I was a Pride of Birmingham winner,” admits Mikey.
“Stephen Sutton was so inspirational that to win an award in his name is unbelievable and such an honour.
“It has made me even more determined to continue to inspire others, carry on raising money to support those who, like me, struggle with their learning and hopefully make Stephen’s mum proud.”
Admission to Pride of Birmingham 2018, which will be attended by an audience including 40 of the region’s best-known celebrities, is by invitation only, although there will be opportunities to spot the stars on the red carpet and the awards will be covered as they happen by the Mail’s digital sister, Birmingham Live in a special live blog.
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I AM THE BOY
I am the boy who has so much to say
I am the boy who says it my way
Not always proper, not always right
With my brain I must put up a fight
The words don’t come easy, they hide away
When I find them some sounds go astray
It’s not ‘cos I’m stupid, it’s ‘cos I am me
I am the boy with Verbal Dyspraxia, you see
I have one desire, I have one wish
And that is that there was more awareness of this!
Read more: https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/stephen-sutton-pride-mikey-akers-14375676