Jill Coates, of Bramah Street, Carlton, has been put forward for the Carer of the Year award by her cousin Vicki Wallace, also of Bramah Street.

Vicki, 43, said: "I am nominating my cousin Jill for the award because five years ago we lost her sister to cancer at 34-years-old.

"As if that wasn't hard enough, suddenly her ten-year-old son Ryan collapsed with pains in his legs.

"She had taken him to the doctors a number of times and they told her it was just growing pains but after being taken to hospital he was diagnosed with Ewing's cancer.

"She has been backwards and forwards to the hospital for treatment with him and that's in-between having a baby and taking care of her two-year-old son.

"Jill doesn't ask us for much help but she knows we are here if she needs us, and after all she's been through this year it would be nice for her to be nominated."

Jill was surprised and pleased at the nomination and told the Chronicle she had 'a very loving and caring family' supporting her all the way.

"It's been a hard year and I don't know how I've got through it at times but I've had to get on with it. If I fell apart, everyone else would fall apart too.

"With everything that happened with my sister and then for my son Ryan to be diagnosed with cancer while I was heavily pregnant, it was a lot to handle.

"But you have to get on with things and sometimes you do wonder where you find the strength."

Ewing's sarcoma cancer is a malignant small, round, blue cell tumour. It is a rare disease where cancer cells are found in the bone or in soft tissue.

Jill said Ryan, who is a pupil at Greenacre school, Kingstone, has two more chemotherapy sessions to undergo before he can have his 'big operation' to remove the tumour. "I couldn't do it without my loving, caring family supporting me all the way," she added.