Bo Willow Harris, a mother and photography student at the University of Sunderland, has created a striking exhibition titled Not Knowing But Growing, capturing the daily reality of raising a child with a hidden disability—through his eyes.
Her six-year-old son, Hendrix, has developmental delays. Despite years of medical tests and specialist visits, he still has no formal diagnosis. “It’s just become a mystery,” Harris says. “We’re in limbo—and it’s been like that for six and a half years.”
Through a series of 10 powerful black-and-white images, Harris explores the emotional landscape of uncertainty, growth, and the unseen challenges of childhood disability. One photo shows sand slipping through Hendrix’s fingers—a metaphor, she says, for how children like him can fall through the cracks of a healthcare or education system that struggles to support those without a clear diagnosis.
Hendrix, who reached milestones like sitting and walking later than most children and continues to face speech challenges, inspired every frame. The exhibition doesn’t just tell his story—it amplifies the experience of many children and families navigating the unknown.
Harris also speaks candidly about the toll on parents:
“It’s forgotten how it impacts the parents as well… and the other child in the household.”
The emotional strain is deeply personal. She created this project while balancing motherhood, university coursework, and grief after her own mother’s passing in 2023.
“It’s been a whole whirlwind,” she shares.
Despite everything, Harris says Hendrix’s reaction to the exhibition was pure joy: he smiled and pointed to the wall, recognising himself in the images.
“I try not to think too far into the future. You question things constantly when you’re a parent to a disabled child.” Her work is a reminder that not all disabilities are visible—but all deserve to be seen, supported, and understood.
