Sports Personality 2021: Arsenal and Scotland defender Jen Beattie wins Helen Rollason Award

Arsenal and Scotland defender Jen Beattie has been honoured with the Helen Rollason Award at BBC Sports Personality of the Year 2021.

Beattie, 30, was diagnosed with breast cancer in October 2020 after discovering a lump, but continued to play for club and country.

She is now cancer-free and uses her platform to speak about her experience and encourage others to get screened.

Beattie said receiving the Helen Rollason award was a "huge honour".

"Getting told you have cancer is a life-changing moment," she said.

"It was horrific, there is no other way to describe it, especially in the middle of a pandemic when you don't have your friends and family there with you."

She added: "Even being able to say the words 'cancer free' is just the best feeling."

Beattie was presented with her award by Arsenal team-mate Leah Williamson. She was unable to be at the Sports Personality show in Salford due to Arsenal's Women's Super League commitments.

Beattie's father, Scottish broadcaster and former rugby union player John Beattie, said of his daughter receiving the award: "Of all the things she's done, this is the most important moment.

"You can always be recognised for being good at kicking a ball, but she wanted it to be about making sure she saved some lives."

"I can honestly say that getting checked is one of the most important things," said Beattie. "If you feel anything that feels out of the norm, go get checked.

"It definitely saved my life."

The Helen Rollason Award recognises outstanding achievement in the face of adversity and was introduced to the show in 1999 in memory of the BBC Sport journalist and presenter, who died of cancer that year at the age of 43.

Captain Sir Tom Moore won the award in 2020. Previous winners include Scotland rugby union great Doddie Weir, who has motor neurone disease, Hillsborough disaster campaigner Anne Williams, and racing driver Billy Monger.