Jermaine Defoe has spoken out about his friend Bradley Lowery who received a posthumous award at last night's BBC Sports Personality of the Year Awards.
Jermaine, who plays football for Sunderland, became close to six-year-old Bradley during the final months as he battled terminal neuroblastoma.
The little lad, who passed away in July this year, was a lifelong fan of the Sunderland team, and he and his family worked tirelessly to raise money for his treatment and raise awareness of the illness which only 67% of sufferers survive.
WATCH: The BBC Sports Personality of the Year Awards remembers Bradley Lowery
Bradley was posthumously awarded the Helen Rollason Award, given out for achievement in the face of adversity, and is in memory of BBC presenter Helen who passed away after a battle with cancer in 1999.
Bradley's parents, Gemma and Carl, went on stage to collect the award on behalf of their son, as Gemma told the audience: "The nation took him into their hearts and he raised so much awareness for childhood cancer, it's unbelievable.
"I'm so proud of him. To continue that, we've set up the Bradley Lowery Foundation because we want to continue the good work that he did."
Jermaine became close to the Lowery family in the months before Bradley's death, even visiting him at his home as he battled the illness.
Unfortunately, he couldn't attend the awards last night, but he spoke to Lorraine this morning.
He said: "The ending was really sad for myself and the family. To see Gemma and Carl stand up there last night and receive the award on Bradley’s behalf, it was a special night for sure.
"There’s not a day that goes past that I don’t think about little Brads. He was that character. Despite all the pains and stuff he was going through, he always cracked that cute smile. He was a lovely kid."
He added: "It’s so difficult as an adult to watch a child go through something like that. It does put things in perspective in life and you don’t want to take anything for granted, for sure."
Bradley attended last year's BBC Sports Personality of the Year Awards as their guest of honour after coming to the attention of the BBC following an appearance as the mascot at the Stadium of Light.
RIP Bradley <3
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NOW READ: Doctor Christian offers his advice on how to battle skin cancer
Doctor Christian's advice on skin cancer - SLIDER
1 of 4Check your moles
Elaine developed a small mole on her cheek, but years later a friend said it looked different. That's why you need to check your moles every month. It's a good idea to take photos too, because you see yourself every day and may miss changes. If you're not sure, show your mum, sister or friend. Also check places like your back, bum, scalp, soles of your feet, and between your fingers.
2 of 4Know your risk
If several relatives have had skin cancer, you're more likely to get it too, so any mole that looks suspicious should be checked. Elaine is fair-skinned, which also ups the risk, but nobody – whatever their skin type – should use sunbeds, and nobody should get burned. Burned skin is a sign you've damaged your DNA and that's a cancer risk.If you have more than 11 moles on your right arm, or any really big ones (bigger than 6mm across), your risk is increased too. If having lots of moles makes it hard to check them, you could use an app like SkinVision or Miiskin, or even pay for a mole mapping service. They cost about £150 – but if you've spent years using sunbeds, it could be a wise investment.
3 of 4What to look for
A healthy mole should be even, so both halves look the same, and the edges should be sharp – not jagged or blurred – and it should be one colour, not bigger than 6mm across and it shouldn't change. If it does, see your GP. Symptoms can take 20 years to develop, and can be caused by being burned from as far back as childhood. If you remember being as red as a lobster on childhood holidays, you need to keep checking your moles.
4 of 4Don't be fooled
Sunbeds can give out UV rays stronger than midday tropical sun, so don't think that because it's a nice machine in a shiny salon it's safe or medicalised. Those rays can also damage your eyes, so look out for dark spots or changes in your vision.Melanoma is the third most common cancer in the UK and the earlier you spot it, the easier it is to treat, so make checking your moles a monthly habit.