A North Belfast man has been recognised for his services to teenagers and young adults with cancer in Northern Ireland.
“Both my parents had been community workers when I was growing up and I could see the difference they had on our local community and this really shaped my decision to choose a career in social work,” he explained. “Although I had gone through all of that, it wasn’t a motivating factor to seek out a job supporting children and young people with cancer and their families. After a few years working I went back and did my social work degree at Queen's University Belfast.
Amongst Simon’s many achievements is his setting up of MOVE Forward, a CrossFit based rehabilitation programme. He added: “I wouldn’t be receiving this honour for my contribution to cancer services for young people in Northern Ireland had those families not said ‘yes’ to my support.