Inspirational charity fundraiser honoured with awards weeks after losing cancer battle
An inspirational Black Country charity fundraiser has been honoured with two posthumous awards just weeks after he died of cancer.
Simon Rikunenko's legacy will live on after the Balls to Cancer charity announced it will name a new caravan for family who are dealing with the illness 'Simon's Place'.
Father-of-five Simon's widow Amy collected Fundraiser of the Year and Top Hero of the Year at the Webb's Wychbold Community Hero Christmas ball on behalf of her husband, who died in October.
Simon, from Stourbridge, was told he had stage four cancer in May 2022 and dedicated himself to raising money for Balls to Cancer after enjoying a holiday with his family at the charity's caravan in Breen, Somerset.
The charity was set to close the caravan due to a lack of funds so Simon and his family held several events raising £12,000 and ensuring other families could enjoy the facilities.
His wife Amy said: "Simon decided that he wanted to help raise money for Balls to Cancer after finding out on our holiday that we might be one of the last families to enjoy a break as they didn't have the funds to carry on. They needed £20,000 in order to just operate the van.
"At the end of October we found out that his cancer had spread to his brain. A few short days later he lost his battle with cancer."
Simon left behind a loving family including his five children, Chloe, 18, Charlotte, 14, Kayla, 12, Drew, 10 and Summer, four.
Friends and family are continuing to raise money in his honour and have set up a new GoFundMe page, which can be found by searching 'Simon Rikunenko' on the site.
Amy said: "Simon was unaware when he passed away that he had been honoured with two awards, one for Fundraiser of the Year that I collected on his behalf at the Balls to Cancer Christmas Charity Ball, and he was selected as the Top Hero at Webbs Wychbold's Community Hero event.
"He will always be our angel, but the impact he has had is tremendous, Balls to cancer confirmed that due to Simon they were able to keep the caravan open this year, they have also said that if we manage to raise enough money they will have a new van and call it 'Simon's Place'.
"We have now started fundraising in his memory to keep his dream going and try to get this van for him."
