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Posthumous award for 'inspirational' Jade Goody
Last updated at 07:42am on 02.10.09
Jade Goody was given a posthumous "inspiration" award accepted by her friend and publicist Max Clifford.
Goody, who died earlier this year after battling cancer, was named as the recipient of the Inspirational Determination Award at the Inspiration Awards for Women in aid of Breakthrough Breast Cancer.
Mr Clifford told the audience at the London ceremony last night: "Jade wasn't really much of a person for awards.
"She was just an ordinary girl who was extraordinary."
He said Goody had given a message to young people about cervical cancer.
"The message she gave out was, don't let what happened to me happen to you.
"She achieved what the medical profession and politicians could not achieve...most stars are totally selfish...she was all about other people."
A special inspiration award went to actress Brooke Kinsella and her mother Deborah, who have campaigned against knife crime after Brooke's brother Ben was stabbed to death.
Deborah said she felt "humbled", adding: "I have got an amazing family."
She dedicated the award to mothers "who have lost their children to knife crime and to my beautiful son Ben".
Dame Vivienne Westwood was given a lifetime achievement award which was accepted on her behalf by Pixie Geldof.
The ceremony was co-hosted by Jackie Brambles and axed Strictly Come Dancing judge Arlene Phillips.
At the end of the ceremony Brambles made a special dedication to Phillips, saying: "You are an inspirational woman of this country and for me. It has been an absolute pleasure for me to share the stage with you tonight."
Phillips, who received applause, replied: "It has been a truly inspirational evening for everyone."
Joanna Lumley was given an inspirational celebrity award as well as an inspiration, aspiration, style and elegance gong.
The awards were collected by Gurkhas on whose behalf the actress has campaigned.
Also among the winners were Help For Heroes co-founder Emma Parry for the inspirational non-celebrity award and US first lady Michelle Obama, who is named as this year's inspirational international woman.
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Reader views (11)
Surely the full title of the award was Determination Inspirational and Vitality award, so she could add the acronym to her name.
- Dereck, London, England
Have to correct you there Dereck - the full title is actually Inspirational Determination In Others' Trivialities.
- Nowan King, London
I think all the attention she got was excessive - before she died Gordon Brown pronounced she was "so brave" - if he's going to do that for one person dying from cancer (who has done nothing else for society except feed racism), why can't he say that of every person dying from cancer or some other terrible disease - when most of them have probably done a hell of a lot more for the world than she has
- Alison James, London
By being so public about her illness and the speed at which it took her, and her admission as to how stupid she had been to avoid smear tests, she gave a much needed kick to millions of women who responded far better to this advice than any leaflets the NHS could have sent. She showed the world what it was like to be so ill and weak and how degrading cancer treatment is. And no, a lot of people still don't know how serious cervical cancer is, especially the kind of girls that thought Jade was wonderful. a lot of people would have hidden away from the public eye after receiving the treatment, with all its side effects. She may have been "stupid, ignorant and talentless", but what she showed us was what a brilliant Mother she was, and what a courageous, and unvain young woman she was. I hope her Mother and children continue to remain proud of her.
- Smb, London, UK
Surely the full title of the award was Determination Inspirational and Vitality award, so she could add the acronym to her name.
- Dereck, London, England
Never read anything so ridiculous in my life. Of course I had sympathy for her like I would anyone who had cancer, but as an individual she was hardly worthy of an award in any respect. Quite the reverse in fact, from what I could garner she was a deeply ignorant individual on every level.
- James, London
>>"She was just an ordinary girl who was extraordinary."
No she wasn't. Completely talentless and thick would have been more fitting.
- Peter, Harrow, UK
They are certainly looking through rose tinted glasses.
- Dannyp, Egham
Strange thing is, I never used to like Jade Goody, yet by the time she died I found I had come to admire and respect the way she handled her impending death. I found myself liking her. She ceratinly was an inspiration to many people. R.I.P. Jade Goody.
- Graham Rodhouse, Helmond, Netherlands
Awarded to her by her "friend" Max Clifford? I'd say it was more a case of "from one media prostitute to another".
- Nowan King, London
inspired what exactly? a load of girls with no intelligence, manners or class to believe a successful life is lived in front of the tv cameras ?
- Joanna Carling, london
A Chav of the decade award would have been more appropriate.
- Nowan King, London
