The BBC Sports Personality of the Year Helen Rollason Award is an award given annually as part of the BBC Sports Personality of the Year

BBC Sports Personality of the Year

The BBC Sports Personality of the Year is an awards ceremony that takes place annually in December. Devised by Paul Fox in 1954, it originally consisted of one titular award. Several new awards have been introduced, and , eight awards are presented. The oldest of these are the Team of the Year and...

 ceremony each December. The award is given "for outstanding achievement in the face of adversity", and the winner is selected by BBC Sport

BBC Sport

BBC Sport is the sports division of the BBC. It became a fully dedicated division of the BBC in 2000. It incorporates programmes such as Match of the Day, Grandstand , Test Match Special, Ski Sunday, Rugby Special and coverage of Formula One motor racing, MotoGP and the Wimbledon Tennis...

. The award is named after the BBC

BBC

The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...

 sports presenter Helen Rollason

Helen Rollason

Helen Frances Rollason MBE was a British sports journalist and television presenter.-Early life:Born 11 March 1956, Helen Rollason was an adopted child. She was born in London, grew up in Bath and studied at Chelsea School of Physical Education, Eastbourne and Dalhousie University, in Canada...

, who died in August 1999 at the age of 43 after suffering from cancer

Colorectal cancer

Colorectal cancer, commonly known as bowel cancer, is a cancer caused by uncontrolled cell growth , in the colon, rectum, or vermiform appendix. Colorectal cancer is clinically distinct from anal cancer, which affects the anus....

 for two years. Helen Rollason was the first female presenter of Grandstand

Grandstand (BBC)

Grandstand was a British television sport programme. Broadcast between 1958 and 2007, it was one of the BBC's longest running sports shows, alongside BBC Sports Personality of the Year.Its first presenter was Peter Dimmock...

. After being diagnosed with cancer, she helped raise over £

Pound sterling

The pound sterling , commonly called the pound, is the official currency of the United Kingdom, its Crown Dependencies and the British Overseas Territories of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, British Antarctic Territory and Tristan da Cunha. It is subdivided into 100 pence...

5 million to set up a cancer wing at the North Middlesex Hospital

North Middlesex Hospital

The North Middlesex University Hospital, known locally as North Mid, is a District General Hospital in Edmonton, in the London Borough of Enfield, within the area served by the Enfield Primary Care NHS Trust.- History :...

, where she received most of her treatment.

The inaugural recipient of the award was horse trainer

Horse trainer

In horse racing, a trainer prepares a horse for races, with responsibility for exercising it, getting it race-ready and determining which races it should enter...

 Jenny Pitman

Jenny Pitman

Jenny Pitman is a former British racehorse trainer and author. She became the first woman to train a Grand National winner, when Corbiere won the race in 1983. She went on to win a second Grand National with Royal Athlete in 1995...

, in 1999. Since then, ten of the eleven winners have been British

United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...

; the exception is South African Paralympic sprinter

Sprint (race)

Sprints are short running events in athletics and track and field. Races over short distances are among the oldest running competitions. The first 13 editions of the Ancient Olympic Games featured only one event—the stadion race, which was a race from one end of the stadium to the other...

 Oscar Pistorius

Oscar Pistorius

Oscar Leonard Carl Pistorius is a South African sprint runner. Known as the "Blade Runner" and "the fastest man on no legs", Pistorius, who has a double amputation, is the world record holder in the 100, 200 and 400 metres events and runs with the aid of Cheetah Flex-Foot carbon fibre transtibial...

, who won the award in 2007. Three recipients have not played a sport professionally: Jane Tomlinson

Jane Tomlinson

Jane Emily Tomlinson, CBE was an amateur English athlete who became well known in the United Kingdom for raising £1.85 million for charity by completing a series of athletic challenges, despite suffering from terminal cancer.Having had treatment for breast cancer in 1991, aged 26; the disease...

, who won in 2002, Kirsty Howard

Kirsty Howard

Kirsty Howard is a 16-year-old British girl, most notable for her charity work.Kirsty is the figurehead of Kirsty's Appeal, a charitable foundation in her name, created to raise £5 million for Francis House, the hospice where she receives care. In October 2006, the appeal announced that it has...

, who received the award in 2004, and Phil Packer, winner in 2009. Michael Watson

Michael Watson

Michael Watson, MBE is a retired British boxer whose career ended prematurely as a result of near-fatal injury sustained in a WBO super-middleweight title fight defeat by Chris Eubank in September 1991....

, who won the award in 2003, had a career in boxing but was paralysed and almost killed in a title bout with Chris Eubank

Chris Eubank

Chris Eubank, Lord of the Manor of Brighton is a retired British boxer who held world titles at middleweight and super middleweight...

. He won the award for completing the London Marathon

London Marathon

The London Marathon is one of the biggest running events in the world, and one of the five top world marathons that make up the World Marathon Majors competition, which has a $1 million prize purse. It has been held each spring in London since 1981. The race is currently sponsored by Virgin Money,...

, an accomplishment that took him six days. Former footballer Geoff Thomas

Geoff Thomas

Geoff Thomas born Manchester, England is a former English footballer, who won nine caps for the full England team and captained Crystal Palace to the FA Cup final in 1990...

 won the award in 2005; he raised money by cycling the 2,200 miles of the 2005 Tour de France

2005 Tour de France

The 2005 Tour de France was the 92nd Tour de France, taking place from July 2 to July 24, 2005. It comprised 21 stages over 3592.5 km, the winner's average speed was 41.654 km/h. The first stages were held in the département of the Vendée, for the third time in 12 years. The 2005 Tour was...

 course in the same number of days as the professionals completed it. In 2006, the award was given posthumously to Paul Hunter

Paul Hunter

Paul Alan Hunter was an English professional snooker player. His media profile developed swiftly and he became known as the "Beckham of the Baize" because of his good looks and flamboyant style....

, who died from dozens of malignant

Malignant

Malignancy is the tendency of a medical condition, especially tumors, to become progressively worse and to potentially result in death. Malignancy in cancers is characterized by anaplasia, invasiveness, and metastasis...

 neuroendocrine tumours – his widow Lindsay accepted the award on his behalf. The most recent award was presented in 2010 to Sir Frank Williams.

By year

Year	Nat.	Winner	Sport(s)	Rationale	Note
1999	England		Horse racing Horse racing Horse racing is an equestrian sport that has a long history. Archaeological records indicate that horse racing occurred in ancient Babylon, Syria, and Egypt. Both chariot and mounted horse racing were events in the ancient Greek Olympics by 648 BC...	for "one of national hunt National Hunt racing National Hunt racing is the official name given to the sport of horse racing in the United Kingdom, France and Ireland in which the horses are required to jump over obstacles called hurdles or fences... 's greatest trainers Horse trainer In horse racing, a trainer prepares a horse for races, with responsibility for exercising it, getting it race-ready and determining which races it should enter... " who retired earlier in 1999 after suffering from cancer Thyroid cancer Thyroid neoplasm is a neoplasm or tumor of the thyroid. It can be a benign tumor such as thyroid adenoma, or it can be a malignant neoplasm , such as papillary, follicular, medullary or anaplastic thyroid cancer. Most patients are 25 to 65 years of age when first diagnosed; women are more affected... .
2000	Wales		Athletics Wheelchair racing Wheelchair racing is the racing of wheelchairs in track and road races. Wheelchair racing is open to athletes with any qualifying type of disability, amputees, spinal cord injuries, cerebral palsy and partially sighted . Athletes are classified in accordance with the nature and severity of their...	for winning "gold in the 100 m, 200 m, 400 m and 800 m events" at the 2000 Summer Paralympics 2000 Summer Paralympics The 2000 Paralympic Games were held in Sydney, Australia, from 18 October to 29 October. The eleventh Summer Paralympic Games, an estimated 3800 athletes took part in the Sydney programme. They commenced with the opening ceremony on 18 October 2000... .
2001	England		Sailing Sailing Sailing is the propulsion of a vehicle and the control of its movement with large foils called sails. By changing the rigging, rudder, and sometimes the keel or centre board, a sailor manages the force of the wind on the sails in order to move the boat relative to its surrounding medium and...	for her courage in becoming fastest woman to circumnavigate the globe.
2002	England		—	for completing "the London Marathon London Marathon The London Marathon is one of the biggest running events in the world, and one of the five top world marathons that make up the World Marathon Majors competition, which has a $1 million prize purse. It has been held each spring in London since 1981. The race is currently sponsored by Virgin Money,... , a triathlon London Triathlon The London Triathlon is the largest Triathlon in the world....  and the Great North Run Great North Run The Bupa Great North Run is the world's largest half marathon, taking place annually each September. Participants run between Newcastle upon Tyne and South Shields in England. The run was devised by former Olympic 10,000 m bronze medallist and BBC Sport commentator Brendan Foster.The first Great... " and raising money for Cancer Research Cancer research Cancer research is basic research into cancer in order to identify causes and develop strategies for prevention, diagnosis, treatments and cure.... , after being diagnosed with breast cancer Breast cancer Breast cancer is cancer originating from breast tissue, most commonly from the inner lining of milk ducts or the lobules that supply the ducts with milk. Cancers originating from ducts are known as ductal carcinomas; those originating from lobules are known as lobular carcinomas... .
2003	England		Boxing Boxing Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...	for completing the London Marathon London Marathon The London Marathon is one of the biggest running events in the world, and one of the five top world marathons that make up the World Marathon Majors competition, which has a $1 million prize purse. It has been held each spring in London since 1981. The race is currently sponsored by Virgin Money,...  and "raising millions of pounds for the Brain and Spine Foundation", despite being told previously that "he would never walk again".
2004	England		—	for raising money for poorly children in Francis House hospice through Kirsty's Appeal, despite having an inoperable heart condition Terminal illness Terminal illness is a medical term popularized in the 20th century to describe a disease that cannot be cured or adequately treated and that is reasonably expected to result in the death of the patient within a short period of time. This term is more commonly used for progressive diseases such as... .
2005	England		Football	for raising "more than £150,000 for the Leukaemia Research Leukaemia Research Leukaemia & Lymphoma Research is a British charitable organisation, established in 1960by the Eastwood family from Middlesbrough who started raising money, following the death of their 6-year-old daughter Susan....  charity" by cycling, following his own battle with the disease Leukemia Leukemia or leukaemia is a type of cancer of the blood or bone marrow characterized by an abnormal increase of immature white blood cells called "blasts". Leukemia is a broad term covering a spectrum of diseases... .
2006	England		Snooker Snooker Snooker is a cue sport that is played on a green baize-covered table with pockets in each of the four corners and in the middle of each of the long side cushions. A regular table is . It is played using a cue and snooker balls: one white , 15 worth one point each, and six balls of different :...	awarded posthumously "in recognition of his bravery and determination to continue playing while trying to beat [cancer]."
2007	South Africa		Athletics Sprint (race) Sprints are short running events in athletics and track and field. Races over short distances are among the oldest running competitions. The first 13 editions of the Ancient Olympic Games featured only one event—the stadion race, which was a race from one end of the stadium to the other...	for his fight to be allowed to "race in both the Olympics 2008 Summer Olympics The 2008 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, was a major international multi-sport event that took place in Beijing, China, from August 8 to August 24, 2008. A total of 11,028 athletes from 204 National Olympic Committees competed in 28 sports and 302 events...  and the Paralympics 2008 Summer Paralympics The 2008 Summer Paralympic Games, the thirteenth Paralympics, took place in Beijing, China from September 6 to September 17, 2008. As with the 2008 Summer Olympics, equestrian events were held in Hong Kong and sailing events in Qingdao.... " in 2008.
2008	England		Cricket Cricket Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the... , Rugby union Rugby union Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...	for fundraising and raising awareness of multiple sclerosis Multiple sclerosis Multiple sclerosis is an inflammatory disease in which the fatty myelin sheaths around the axons of the brain and spinal cord are damaged, leading to demyelination and scarring as well as a broad spectrum of signs and symptoms...  since being diagnosed with the disease in 1999.
2009	England	Major	—	for fundraising over £1.2 million for the Help for Heroes Help for Heroes Help for Heroes is a British charity launched on 1 October 2007 to help provide better facilities for British servicemen and women wounded since September 11, 2001. It was founded by Bryn Parry OBE and his wife Emma Parry OBE after they visited soldiers at Selly Oak Hospital in Birmingham...  charity, despite being paraplegic since sustaining injuries in the Iraq War.
2010	England	Sir Frank Williams (Formula One)	Formula One Formula One Formula One, also known as Formula 1 or F1 and referred to officially as the FIA Formula One World Championship, is the highest class of single seater auto racing sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile . The "formula" designation in the name refers to a set of rules with which...	for founding the Williams Formula One team which has so far won nine constructors' titles and seven drivers' championships despite himself suffering an accident in 1986 in which he sustained a severe spinal cord injury.

By nationality

This table lists the total number of awards won by recipients of each nationality based on the principle of jus soli

Jus soli

Jus soli , also known as birthright citizenship, is a right by which nationality or citizenship can be recognized to any individual born in the territory of the related state...

.

Nationality	Number of wins
	10
	1
	1

By sport

This table lists the total number of awards won by recipients' sporting profession.

Sporting profession	wins
Athletics	2
Boxing Boxing Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...	1
Football	1
Formula One Formula One Formula One, also known as Formula 1 or F1 and referred to officially as the FIA Formula One World Championship, is the highest class of single seater auto racing sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile . The "formula" designation in the name refers to a set of rules with which...	1
Horse racing Horse racing Horse racing is an equestrian sport that has a long history. Archaeological records indicate that horse racing occurred in ancient Babylon, Syria, and Egypt. Both chariot and mounted horse racing were events in the ancient Greek Olympics by 648 BC...	1
Sailing Sailing Sailing is the propulsion of a vehicle and the control of its movement with large foils called sails. By changing the rigging, rudder, and sometimes the keel or centre board, a sailor manages the force of the wind on the sails in order to move the boat relative to its surrounding medium and...	1
Cricket Cricket Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
Rugby union Rugby union Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
None	3