THE HILLS star Lauren Conrad has been hailed a saint by a teenage cancer sufferer after the reality TV star handed over $10,000 (GBP5,000) and her Teen Choice Award surfboard to him.

Conrad met 13-year-old leukaemia patient Pat Pedraja at Saturday's (02Aug08) Do Something Awards in Los Angeles, and presented him with $10,000 for his work recruiting bone-marrow donors.

The following night, at the Teen Choice Awards, she dedicated her Choice TV Female Reality/Variety Star win to the teen - and then gave him the surfboard honour she got to take home as a winner.

In a post on the Do Something website, a thrilled Pedraja writes, "She didn't have to go out of her way to give me a present and she didn't have to dedicate her award to me, but SHE DID!

"I want to tell everyone that Lauren Conrad is an exceptional person, more than a reality TV star or fashion designer, but a person that I am proud to look up to."