A MODEST stem cell donor and fundraiser who went on to save a life has been shortlisted for a prestigious award.

Sean Hagan, 24, from Askam, has been nominated for Champion of the Year at the Anthony Nolan Supporter Awards 2015.

Mr Hagan went on to donate his stem cells in February 2012 after being found as a match for Johnny Pearson, a dad-of-two with leukaemia.

He said: “I am really proud about receiving the nomination, but I think everyone who has donated should be nominated for it too.

“I didn’t really expect to be nominated as I didn’t join the register to receive any awards, but my family are all really happy about it”

The prestigious Anthony Nolan Supporter Awards are back for their third year to celebrate, recognise and thank the outstanding supporters who keep the pioneering blood cancer charity moving forward.

The fundraiser has supported the charity since May 2011 after a national appeal from Ulverston teenager, Alice Pyne who died in 2013 after a long battle with Hodgkin’s lymphoma.

Mr Hagan, added: “I worked with Alice Pyne’s granddad and she needed to find a match and I went along to a recruitment event which she had organised and I signed up from there.

“I probably wouldn’t have done it if it wasn’t for Alice.”

Determined to raise as much money as he could Mr Hagan and Mr Pearson ran the London Marathon in 2013, and incredibly raised more than £8,000 for the charity.

Undeterred by the physical challenge, Mr Hagan then ran again for Anthony Nolan the following year.

Anthony Nolan uses its register to match potential stem cell donors to blood cancer patients in desperate need of a stem cell transplant.

It also carries out research to make stem cell transplants more successful, and supports patients through their transplant journey.

Mr Hagan, said: “I would recommend to anyone that they sign up because it is really straight forward, really easy, completely painless and obviously you can see the outcome it can have when you save someone’s life.”

Not only has Mr Hagan donated his own stem cells he has also been encouraging his friends to sign up.

He added: “I can’t find the words to describe how important the charity is. I have got a lot of friends who have donated and when you see how it saves someone’s life you can’t really put a price on it.”

The awards ceremony takes place on November 17 in the House of Commons and winners will be announced at the event.

For more information, go to www.anthonynolan.org/awards.