'What a night' - proud Washington dad celebrates as film starring his baby daughter wins award

A stunned Wearside dad has re-lived a night of high emotions after a film starring his baby daughter won a national award.

John Lee Taggart's daughter Cora Lily, who is now 14 months old, features in the comedy production called A Rare Find which is all about new-born screening and rare diseases.

'It was unreal. I will never forget it'

It won gold at the SMILEY Charity Film Awards in Leicester Square which were hosted by Ellie Taylor.

More than 200 charities were represented at the event where celebrity guests included Shirley Ballas, Kimberley Wyatt, Professor Green and Greg Wallace.

John said he would 'never forget it' and told the Sunderland Echo: "It was unreal."

Cora's heart defect was picked up in scans

The Echo has previously told how A Rare Find was produced by a collaboration of Washington-based charity, Niemann-Pick UK (NPUK), The Newborn Screening Collaborative, and local production company Media Borne.

By complete coincidence, the charity that John works for looks in to rare diseases.

He said he and his partner Chantelle Taggart were attending Cora's scans towards the end of the pregnancy when a problem emerged.

'The person doing the scans was saying 'oh dear' and there seemed to be an irregularity."

'Emotional toll for parents'

He said: "We had some potential serious issues (heart defect) picked up in early screening late in pregnancy, and then a few tests once Cora was here.

"All seemed to  correct itself but we are still monitoring the situation.

"Either way it was a very worrying time, and gave us a deep understanding of the emotional toll parents go through with this sort of thing." John is Head of Communications for the Washington based small rare disease charity, Niemann-Pick UK (NPUK).

Since then, John has launched a £75,000 fundraising drive to produce a 90-minute film called A Rare Life.

How a new movie can raise even more awareness

His aim is to 'look even deeper' into rare genetic diseases in children - using the power of film.

John is the writer and director and he has teamed up with cinematographer Craig Crouchman 'and a small North East team'. It will look into rare diseases, the toll it has on mental health, but also the 'simple joys in life which make it worth living'.

"Too little is known about most rare conditions, which in turn often means limited funding and access to suitable therapies and treatments. This can change for the better with this film."

To find out more about the latest project, visit the Go Fund Me page.