Spreading the word about self-worth

Children's Tumour Foundation
Inspiring. Innovative. Kind

Award-winning children’s author Josh Langley spreads a message of hope and self-acceptance to young people living with the uncertainty of a neurofibromatosis (NF) diagnosis.

For three years, he has lent his star status to the Children’s Tumour Foundation, which supports children with the genetic condition that causes tumours in the nervous system and a risk of problems with vision, hearing, behaviour, balance and the heart.

Josh initially started working with the foundation to support a friend’s daughter who was diagnosed with NF.

Anxiety and depression are common among children with NF, which is something close to Josh’s heart. His experience with mental illness is the basis for his popular, Being You is Enough book series for kids. .

Josh is an ambassador of the charity’s annual Undie Run. And he has live-streamed book readings, recorded interviews with NF Heroes and participated in the foundation’s Zoom support group for teens and young adults.

He is thrilled to be nominated a Westfield Local Hero. “It inspires me to take my messages of self-acceptance and mental wellbeing for kids much further afield so that all kids around Australia don’t have to suffer anxiety and depression like I did.”

Westfield Local Heroes are nominated and voted for by their communities, with the three top finalists per Westfield centre each awarded a $10,000 grant for their affiliated organisation. the Children’s Tumour Foundation will use its funds to develop a book with real-life stories of teens and young adults with NF.

For further information on the Westfield Local Heroes program, click here