Pride of Britain: Award nomination for man raising thousands for cancer charities

Ivan Black is one of the nominees shortlisted for the Daily Mirror UTV Pride of Britain award.

The Londonderry man has spent more than 30 years raising half a million pounds for cancer charities.

Ivan's main inspiration has been his brother Ian, who died from leukemia. Before Ian's death, Ivan promised to him that he would do something to keep his memory alive.

Since then Ivan has continually challenged himself by organising fundraising events, as well as walking - or sometimes trekking - hundreds of miles for good causes.

"He's climbed Ben Nevis, he's done the Inishowen 100 mile. He's also worked in Romania and Kenya," said supporter and friend Sandra Smyth.

"In the last few weeks he has hit the half a million pounds mark, so that's amazing in itself. And no doubt that's not enough for him, he probably has a another figure in his head that he wants to achieve. And I have no doubt that he'll actually go ahead and do it," said Ivan's daughter Stacey Thompson.

For Ivan it's all about doing something, however small, to ensure less people experience the pain his family has felt over the years.

"To be nominated [for Pride of Britain], if people only knew what it meant to me, it means a hell of a lot," said Ivan.

"I'm a believer if I can do one wee thing, it might stop somebody going through that same pain process that we went."

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