Woolton, UK – Leah Smith, a 22-year-old TikTok sensation who lost her battle with a rare form of cancer, has been honored with a unique modeling award created especially for her.
Leah, who bravely documented her journey with bone cancer, received the Miss Inspiration title from the Miss British Isles competition in 2021.
The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic prevented Leah from collecting her award in person. Unfortunately, Leah passed away on March 11, 2024.
Her mother, Jenny Smith, expressed that the award now “sits proudly” beside Leah’s memorial at their home, serving as a testament to her courage and impact.
Leah, who was diagnosed with Ewing sarcoma at the age of 18 in October 2019, was an aspiring model before her diagnosis.
Despite her illness, she continued to inspire many through her social media presence and her involvement in the Miss British Isles competition.
Leah had previously won the title of Miss Woolton in 2018 and entered several competitions held at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Chester.
Jenny and Leah’s brother, Liam, collected the Miss Inspiration award on her behalf. Reflecting on the ceremony, Jenny shared, “It was lovely. We met all the winners, and a lot of them were telling us how Leah told them to go for it, to go for Miss British Isles, and how she inspired them to do it. And they’ve done it and won it. It was emotional but happy, a nice feeling.”
Howard Smith, who has been running the Miss British Isles modeling competition for 20 years, explained that the inspiration award was created in Leah’s honor due to “the sheer bravery of making the whole journey public.”
He remarked, “She has to be the most inspirational young lady we have ever met in 20 years, so it was such a shame we couldn’t get her to the final.”
Leah’s impact extended far beyond the competition. She reached millions on TikTok, where she openly shared her daily life and struggles with cancer.
Her candid posts garnered over 60,000 messages of support following the announcement of her death by her boyfriend, Andrew Moore, on her TikTok page.
The Smith family is now working on establishing “Leah’s Little Sunflowers,” a community interest company aimed at supporting families affected by cancer.
Jenny mentioned that this project keeps the family occupied and provides them with a sense of purpose during their grief.
“We have good days and bad days,” Jenny said. “Some days it can be a little daunting, but we go back to our messages and the followers, and we are like, ‘Oh, right, let’s go, they are waiting.'”
Leah Smith’s legacy lives on through the inspiration she provided to countless individuals, both within the modeling community and beyond.
Her story is a powerful reminder of the strength and resilience that can shine through even the most challenging circumstances.
This article was created using automation technology and was thoroughly edited and fact-checked by one of our editorial staff members
