A TEENAGER who battles severe pain every day has received an award from her school in recognition of her courage and positivity.

Sophie Bramham, 14, was diagnosed with juvenile arthritis at the age of two and suffers constant joint pain in her ankles, knees, hips, elbows and wrists.

Despite having the severe inflammatory rheumatic disease, which forces her to use crutches and a wheelchair to get around college, she refuses to let her arthritis get her down.

“I am in a lot of pain every day,” said Sophie, from Northallerton.

“But it’s something that I have to learn to live with.

“I’m not going to let my illness get me down and there are always lots of reasons in life to be positive.”

Now Sophie has been presented with the Chris Sheehan Award for Courage and Perseverance at Northallerton School and Sixth Form College’s annual celebration of achievements.

Despite missing large amounts of her education due to illness and hospital appointments, Sophie proved to be a model student and is on course to complete her GCSE exams next year, with a view to continuing her A-levels at the college.

“Everyone here has helped me so much,” said Sophie.

“My teachers have made sure that I get the work to do at home and they have always been there to support me in my learning.”

Sophie, who hopes to go on to university to become a clinical psychologist, was presented with her award by Professor Robert Allison, vice chancellor of Loughborough University and former pupil of Northallerton Grammar School.

The annual awards event was hosted by students Ewan Cameron and Abbie Grange alongside teacher Trevor Starkey, at the Forum in Northallerton.

Student achievement in areas from academic to drama and art were recognised alongside awards for attitude, sporting commitment and enthusiasm.

Special posthumous awards in memory of former students were presented by Brian Dawes, father of former sixth form pupil Libby Dawes, who was tragically killed in a car accident in 2007, and John Hyde, whose son Lance Corporal Ben Hyde was one of six royal military policemen killed in June 2003 in Southern Iraq.