Whatever his illness throws at him teenager Cam Edmonds always comes through with a big, sunny smile.

His upbeat nature lifts him above the onslaught of his progressive, severe muscle-wasting Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD).

It was this that led to Cam, 13, from Dorset Crescent, Riverview Park, Gravesend, winning in the brave and inspiring category at the 10th Ward and Partners Children Awards.

Young people with DMD are not expected to live beyond 21.

Cam takes each day as it comes.

The win was a great boost for the Thamesview School pupil, mum Lisa, 41, who nominated him, and his self-employed electrician dad Rob, 42. It came at the right time in a tough year.

As well as DMD, Cam suffers from osteoporosis due to the steroids he takes. The osteoporosis had caused three spinal fractures and in summer 2012 he broke his leg, meaning he was in plaster for four months and could not use the family car.

Lisa said she was “so proud” when Cam, her “brave little soldier” won.

The award has pride of place in his bedroom next to his Olympic torch, a memento of his part in the 2012 relay.

Cam had been nominated as a bearer by his school for his “overall attitude and always smiling and happy nature”.

More than 30 classmates cheered him on in Broadstairs where he proudly carried the torch, pushed in a wheelchair by his mum.

Animal enthusiast Cam has a penchant for scary beasts and dinosaurs.

On his wall is a mural of a huge, fanged snake striking. At a domestic level, he roars with laughter, watching from his bed the garden antics of his mum as she rescues yet another small creature from the jaws of pet cat Jess.

He loves drawing and is taking commissions for dinosaur sketches. The proceeds go into a pot towards a £22,000 electric wheelchair.

His family are raising the cash to enable Cam to tackle the world with more ease. They have been looking at models that turn 360 degrees on the spot, lie back completely horizontal and raise the user up and down.

It will help give him the best possible chance of living life to the full, whatever DMD brings.

Having previously lived in Chatham, the family still have much work to do on the bungalow to which they moved in 2012 to better suit Cam’s needs.

It happened with enormous support from the community and beyond and through the concerted efforts of the Get Cam In Facebook campaign.

His mum said: “Cam worries more about others than himself, and is very well loved by many.

“Things have been very tough on all of us as a family, but just seeing Cam’s smile every day, helps us get through the day.

“With all he faces and has faced, to me it is amazing that he can still be as bright as he is.”

To nominate a deserving child, family or charity in this year's Ward Children's Awards visit www.kentonline.co.uk/wardawards