Meet Carmela Chillery-Watson, the UK girl who began fundraising after a rare diagnosis at 4 and became the youngest person ever awarded an MBE at 11
Carmela Chillery-Watson made history at the age of 11 as the youngest person ever to receive a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE). According to Guinness World Records, she was 11 years and 78 days old when the honour was announced in June 2025, recognising her years of fundraising and awareness work for Muscular Dystrophy UK following her diagnosis with a rare muscle-wasting condition at age four.A diagnosis at fourCarmela was diagnosed with LMNA congenital muscular dystrophy (L-CMD) when she was four.
The rare condition affects muscles and can cause progressive weakness, making everyday activities increasingly challenging. Her diagnosis did not stop Carmela from finding ways to support other people living with muscle-wasting conditions. Instead, she began taking part in fundraising activities and awareness campaigns, gradually turning her own experiences into a way to help others.Her work became closely connected with Muscular Dystrophy UK, a charity that supports people affected by muscle-wasting conditions and funds research into these diseases.Turning challenges into actionCarmela's fundraising journey has included a series of demanding challenges.
One of her early campaigns came in 2020, when she was six. She took part in a month-long Wonder Woman challenge, covering 10 kilometres every day. She walked one kilometre and used her wheelchair for the remaining distance. Her efforts continued over the following years, with campaigns involving sporting challenges, awareness activities and events designed to highlight accessibility.
According to Guinness World Records, her fundraising had already raised more than £36,000 by the time she received recognition for her record.Her fundraising total later grew substantially. According to Muscular Dystrophy UK, she helped raise more than £400,000 through around 25 fundraising and awareness campaigns.
The campaigns have also reflected issues that are important to Carmela personally. Through her work, she has helped draw attention to disability, accessibility and the experiences of people living with rare conditions.Becoming the youngest MBE recipientCarmela's fundraising efforts eventually earned her a place in the 2025 King's Birthday Honours.
She was recognised for her charitable fundraising work supporting Muscular Dystrophy UK and the disabled community. The honour also made her a record holder. Guinness World Records confirmed Carmela as the youngest recipient of an MBE, at 11 years and 78 days old.She surpassed the previous record held by Paralympic swimmer Ellie Simmonds, who received an MBE at the age of 14 years and 50 days in 2008.
The recognition was significant not only because of Carmela's age but also because it acknowledged years of fundraising that began when she was still a young child.Meeting Prince WilliamThe honour was formally presented to Carmela later in 2025. On December 10, she travelled to Windsor Castle, where Prince William, the Prince of Wales, presented her with her MBE.
The ceremony marked the culmination of a journey that had started with her diagnosis at four and developed into years of charitable work.Carmela's achievement also attracted attention because of the unusual combination of her young age and the scale of her fundraising efforts. Rather than being recognised for a single event, her MBE reflected sustained work supporting a cause closely connected to her own life.Continuing her advocacyCarmela's work has continued beyond becoming a record holder.
Muscular Dystrophy UK named her its first Young Ambassador, giving her another platform to speak about living with a rare muscle-wasting condition.She has also been involved in efforts to encourage greater accessibility and inclusion. Her plans include visiting primary schools around the UK to talk to children about disability, rare conditions and the importance of making schools and activities accessible to everyone.
Her fundraising has also continued. In October 2025, she completed a 24-hour hospital walk through five hospitals where she had received care. Guinness World Records reported that she completed around 6,500 steps during the challenge and raised £3,250.More than a recordCarmela's story goes beyond the record attached to her MBE.
Her fundraising began after a difficult diagnosis at an age when many children are only beginning school, yet she found ways to turn her experiences into support for others. From completing fundraising challenges to raising awareness about accessibility, she has built a public role around helping people affected by muscle-wasting conditions.At 11, Carmela became the youngest person ever to receive an MBE.
But the record is only one part of her story. Her continuing fundraising and advocacy show how the work that began after her diagnosis has developed into a wider effort to support research, inclusion and people living with rare conditions.Catch the latest World News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.