Skip to content

'Showing hidden disability through my son's eyes'

Pamela Bilalova
BBC News, North East and Cumbria
Bo Willow Harris Bo Willow Harris, in a black top and leopard print skirt is holding her son Hendrix. They are both smiling at the camera while standing in front of black and white photographs attached on a white wall as part of the exhibition. Hendrix has short dark blonde hair and is wearing a black and white jacket, pink t-shirt, and a black trousers. His mother has long wavy black hair.Bo Willow Harris
The photography project, called Not Knowing But Growing, explores life with a hidden disability

A mother has produced a series of photographs aimed at showing through her son's eyes what it is like growing up with a hidden disability.

Bo Willow Harris took the images for her final project at the University of Sunderland in the hope it would help help more children like Hendrix be seen and understood.

The six-year-old has development delay, but the underlying cause has not been found and was "baffling the medical world", Mrs Harris said. "It's just become a mystery."

The 10 black and white pictures which make up the exhibit try to capture the challenges Hendrix faces daily.

Hendrix struggles with his speech and his growing-up milestones - like sitting and walking - developed later.

But so far, there has been no definite diagnosis.

"We're in limbo still and it's been like that for six and a half years," Mrs Harris said.

"It is important to have a diagnosis just so I can help Hendrix and guide him throughout life."

University of Sunderland Sand slipping through the hands of Hendrix. The black and white image is part of his mother's final project.University of Sunderland
Images in the exhibition carry a deeper meaning

An image showing sand slipping though Hendrix's fingers aimed to depict how children could fall through the system, the mother-of-two said.

She believes more respite options are needed for parents of disabled children.

"I think it's forgotten about how it impacts parents, as well as the child, and the other child in the household."

Bo Willow Harris Bo Willow and Hendrix smiling for a selfie. Bo Willow's long black hair is tied back. Bo Willow Harris
Mrs Harris said Hendrix was used to the camera and the photos happened naturally

Motherhood inspired a lot of Mrs Harris's projects, as she balanced childcare and coursework while grieving for her mother who died in 2023.

"Having to juggle the grief, as well as young children, as well as a disabled child, as well as no childcare, it's been a whole whirlwind," she said.

Mrs Harris, who is from Middlesbrough, but has lived in Sunderland since 2008, said Hendrix visited the exhibition, called Not Knowing But Growing, and after his initial surprise started smiling and pointing to the wall.

"I don't think I'll ever stop worrying about him and I try not to think too far into the future," she said.

"One of the hardest things about being a parent with a disabled child is you question things constantly."

Follow BBC Sunderland on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.

More stories from across the BBC
Related internet links