DERBY dad Michael Ryan could be forgiven for concentrating his efforts on his son, who suffers from a life-threatening condition.

Yet, at the same time as caring for 22-month-old Michael junior, he has helped ease the lives of other parents of disabled children by raising money for specialist home equipment.

Michael has raised more than £5,300 over the past year, from collection tins in shops and fund-raising events. His efforts have so far helped nine children.

He has faced an uphill battle to raise the £5,000 needed to officially register his All Because of You charity, but is hopeful it will happen in the near future.

Derby Telegraph reader Jenny Pointon, of Allestree, nominated him for a Community Champion award.

She said: "I have read about the things he is doing for charity, while looking after his own poorly son. He should be really proud of himself."

Michael, of Slack Lane, Derby, said he was shocked to be nominated. "It's fantastic that someone should go to such trouble to nominate me.

"I enjoy raising this money and it gives me something to concentrate on that has benefits for other people."

Michael's work was inspired by his son, Michael, who has the rare condition ictal bradycardia syndrome, which causes severe fits and can make his heart rate drop dangerously low.

Having seen all the medical equipment in hospitals, Michael pledged to ensure families could access specialist kit at home.

His donations have included a £250 Nintendo Wii Fit console for patients at Derby Children's Hospital and more than £650 worth of toys for Loughborough's Rainbows Hospice for Children and Young People.

He has also collected £200 for cerebral palsy sufferer Tyler O'Conner, of Mimosa Crescent, Sunny Hill, for play equipment.

In May, he donated an electric wheelchair to Derby boy Stephen Seaman, who has Down's Syndrome.

And last month, he gave a special off-road pushchair to disabled eight-year-old Andrew Hopkins, who came with his family from the Orkney Islands, off the north coast of Scotland, to collect it.

Michael said helping people brought him great joy.

He said: "I am so grateful to be nominated and hope it gives a boost to the fund-raising that I do. I am also very pleased by the response from everyone who has donated money to me."

The Derby Telegraph has teamed up with BBC Radio Derby, Derbyshire Building Society, Derby City Council and Derby County Football Club to launch the Community Champions awards.

For nomination forms, see www.thisisderbyshire.co.uk/champions or www.bbc.co.uk/derby.

Forms can be found in some copies of the Derby Telegraph, or collected from BBC Radio Derby, in St Helen's Street, Derby, and from Derbyshire Building Society branches.

Send them to Caroline Jones, Community Champions, Derby Telegraph, Northcliffe House, Meadow Road, Derby, DE1 2BH by Friday, April 2.