Specialist nurse David Waldron will be flying the flag for University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust (UHB) when he carries the Olympic torch on part of its famous journey.

David, a clinical nurse specialist in haematology at Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham (QEHB), was nominated for the honour by a colleague after taking part in a sponsored kayak in aid of the Teenage Cancer Trust.

The 28-year-old, who lives in Harborne, will now carry the Olympic torch along High Street, Smethwick, on 30 June 2012.

David, who joined UHB after graduating from university four years ago, said he was delighted to be chosen as a torch bearer: “It’s a great honour and a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I’m obviously very interested in the Games, especially as I used to run for Birchfield Harriers in Birmingham, but I’m due to get married in September so didn’t have the cash to apply for Olympics tickets.”

David, who works with young people affected by cancer, was nominated by haematology ward manager Saras Padachie following his kayaking trip to Scotland last July.

He added: “Myself and a couple of friends kayaked 100 kilometres along the Caledonian Canal from Fort William to Inverness and raised £400 for Teenage Cancer Trust.

“Saras, who was my ward manager, received an email from her bank, Lloyds TSB, who are one of the Olympics sponsors, asking her to nominate anyone who had done something in the community, so she put me forward.”

QEHB heart transplant patient David Chaffey, aged 28, from Ebbw Vale in Wales, will also be carrying the Olympic torch, when it passes through his local area on May 25. David, who is also registered blind, spent four months at QEHB after receiving a new heart at the hospital in January 2011.

Former soldier Karl Hinett, who underwent major surgery at QEHB’s burns unit over several years after his tank was petrol bombed in Iraq, will carry the Olympic torch through Solihull on July 1 after being nominated by staff at the QEHB Charity. To thank the staff who cared for him – and raise funds for the hospital’s official charity – Karl ran 52 marathons last year and is planning to run another 48 in 2012.