A KIND-HEARTED England football fan from Dudley who turned down tickets to the Euro 2020 semi-final has been given a national award for his selfless actions.

Sam Astley, aged 24, from Sedgley, who turned down Euro 2020 semi-finals tickets to donate stem cells to a patient in need of a transplant, won the Donor Champion of the Year at the Anthony Nolan Supporter Awards 2021.

The prestigious awards recognise the outstanding achievements of volunteers, fundraisers, clinical supporters and donors who help the pioneering blood cancer charity to save lives.

Now in their eighth year, they have seen hundreds of people commended for making the charity’s work possible.

Stourbridge News chief reporter Bev Holder was also honoured at the awards with the Journalist of the Year accolade for breaking Sam’s story which made national headlines.

Dudley News: Bev Holder - winner of the Journalist of the Year award at the Anthony Nolan Supporter Awards Bev Holder - winner of the Journalist of the Year award at the Anthony Nolan Supporter Awards

She said: “I’m truly honoured to have been recognised in this way and privileged to have played a part in telling the wonderful story of Sam’s stem cell donation which has spread so much happiness and hope.”

Sam signed up for the Anthony Nolan register after family friend, Simon Wilkes, who has blood cancer himself, organised a memorial football tournament in memory of his son, Olly Wilkes, who passed away, aged just 22.

It was back in 2018 when Sam signed up to the register. Incredibly when he was called up to donate, the transplant procedure was scheduled for the day of the England v Denmark game in the Euro 2020 semi-final which Sam’s girlfriend Beth Hill had won free tickets to see.

Selfless Sam, however, gave up the chance of a lifetime to instead help save a life by going ahead with the stem cell donation after being declared a match for a patient in need.

News of his lifesaving gesture spread like wildfire on Twitter after Bev tweeted her story, with former England star and football pundit Gary Lineker joining in an impromptu Twitter campaign to secure tickets for the England v Italy final for big-hearted Sam and Beth, a critical care nurse.

As a result of his generous donation, Euro 2020 sponsor Vivo answered calls and stepped in to give the couple VIP tickets to see the game of a lifetime.

Although England didn’t romp home to victory, Sam’s story went national and he found himself giving interviews on BBC, Sky and ITV and according to the Anthony Nolan charity it inspired more than 1,500 people to join the stem cell register.

Speaking after his award win, Sam said he was "over the moon” to have been honoured by the charity and he said: “I'm really pleased. It’s been good to be involved in and it’s made me want to do even more to carry on the support and raise awareness. It’s given me the motivation listening to all the other stories – to think what else can I do?”

The winners were revealed in a digital awards ceremony on Twitter on Thursday February 17 which kicked off with British acting Royalty Olivia Colman, a supporter of the charity, announcing the first award.

Henny Braund, chief executive of Anthony Nolan, said thanks to Sam's gesture 1,500 people were inspired to apply to join the Anthony Nolan register which helps to find matching stem cell donors for people with blood cancer and blood disorders.

The charity also carries out ground-breaking research to help save lives and provide information and support to patients after a stem cell transplant.

To find out more visit https://www.anthonynolan.org/ and to see more on the awards go to https://www.anthonynolan.org/awards