A WOMAN has devoted the last 16 years of her life to making sure cancer sufferers get the treatment they need.

When Tina Wellman-Hawke lost her husband Dave to a hard battle against lung cancer, she was determined to raise money to give other cancer sufferers a better quality of life.

What started as a fundraising ball has become a major organisation, and since 1999 the Dave Wellman Cancer Trust has raised more than a quarter of a million pounds.

Now Mrs Wellman-Hawke has been nominated for a Pride of Britain Fundraiser Award 2015 and today she is waiting anxiously to see if she has made it through to the final.

The 56-year-old works with leading researchers at the University of Southampton’s Cancer Sciences Centre to fund investigations into new treatments.

She has been made an ambassador for a £20 million campaign to set up a Cancer Immunology Centre in Southampton.

Mrs Wellman-Hawke also runs fundraisers, including support events for families affected by cancer and seasonal balls, as well as organising a yearly respite trip for cancer sufferers and their loved ones.

She does all this while supporting her sister Terri Barnard, who was diagnosed with the same terminal cancer as Dave, pictured below, five years ago.

Daily Echo:

Mrs Wellman-Hawke said: “It’s been very hard but what’s amazing about all the charity work is that I’ve had this incredible chance to make so many new friends and we have become like a family.

“I am just completely overwhelmed about being nominated for a Pride of Britain Award, there are so many amazing people out there raising money and I can’t believe I have been chosen.

“This is a huge thing, I would never have imagined from a ball on April Fools Day in tribute to Dave that I would end up here.”

The Trust also has loyal supporters including Francis Benali, Matt Le Tissier and Lawrie McMenemy and Mrs Wellman-Hawke works closely with Peter Johnson, professor of medical oncology at the University of Southampton.

Mrs Wellman-Hawke is one of four people in the south to be shortlisted for the award and today she will find out if she has been chosen to go on to the glitzy awards ceremony in London, where a team of celebrities will host the event and present awards to the winners.

The Pride of Britain Awards, sponsored by the Daily Mirror, celebrates the achievements of people who work to make the world a better place, and are nominated by the public.

Mrs Wellman-Hawke said: “I wouldn’t have got to this point without all my friends, family and supporters who have kept me going.

"This is a tribute to them that I have gotten this far.”