A real case of brotherly love

9:52am Monday 10th December 2007

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WHEN it comes to looking after their severely disabled big brother, Daniel and Nathan are always willing to help out.

That's why their mum and step-dad, Donna and Alan Kirk, have nominated the pair for the junior section of the Daily Echo Carer of the Year, supported by South-ampton Lions.

The couple want to say thank-you for the care that Daniel, 10, and Nathan, 7, show their brother Anthony, 13, who suffers from Golden Har syndrome, which means that he has no hearing canal and needs to use a special hearing aid.

Anthony, who attends Osborne Special School in Winchester, also suffers from asthma, curvature of the spine, facial palsy and autism.

Despite Anthony's condition his brothers always make sure that he is included when friends visit the family home in Cranbury Road, Eastleigh.

Alan, 57, a teacher, said Daniel and Nathan, who are both pupils at The Crescent Primary School in Eastleigh, really deserved to be nominated.

"They always take the time to introduce Anthony to their friends and they explain his condition to them, pointing out that he is a normal 13-year-old who just looks different.

"They are very protective of Anthony.

"Daniel tries to involve Anthony in his games and will also take him out to play football or hide and seek with his friends.

"By doing this Daniel has made sure that nearly all the children in our local area know Anthony and treat him like one of the gang."

On top of their brother's illness Daniel and Nathan's mum is an insulin dependent diabetic who has to inject herself with insulin four times a day and they sometimes have to make sure she is alright.

The Daily Echo is running the Carer of the Year competition with the Southampton Lions Club which raises thousands of pounds for good causes and individuals every year.