A WOMAN who has spearheaded a massive charity fundraising drive despite battling breast cancer for more than two years has been presented with a special award.

Kevin Grogan, of York Rotary Club, praised Dawn Watts as she received the Paul Harris Fellowship medal, pin badge and certificate during a club dinner at York's Novotel Hotel in Fishergate.

He said he had known Dawn, of Copmanthorpe, since they were small children, and said she had a very caring nature which she had turned to practical use by training and qualifying as a nurse.

However, in 2013, aged 48, Dawn became a patient herself when she was diagnosed with breast cancer, and she had since been in and out of hospital for bouts of surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

"But this has not dampened her enthusiasm for life or her caring nature, and over 1,200 people are following her battle with cancer on Facebook," he said.

Kevin said Dawn had thrown herself wholeheartedly into fundraising campaigns, including charity music gigs, social media-based campaigns, a tandem skydive and a charity calendar.

"Pre-diagnosis, Dawn also raised approximately £1,000 for Cancer Research UK by taking part in York's annual Race for Life event," he said.

"Dawn and her husband Stuart also raised approximately £2,500 for the Stroke Association, Alzheimers Association and York Against Cancer in 2007 when they volunteered to do work in Tsunami-hit Sri Lanka."

While Dawn and her husband are not involved in Rotary, Kevin said she truly encapsulated its motto of 'service above self.' He added that the fellowship was an award of Rotary International.

*Dawn, who has already helped raise more than £15,000 for York Against Cancer and Dreamflight, a charity which takes seriously-ill and disabled children to Orlando for the holiday of a lifetime, is staging her next event - a rock music evening called Dawnfest 2 - on February 6 at Warehouse 23 in Wakefield. Tickets can be obtained from Warehouse23 (www.warehouse23.co.uk)