Health Hero Award: Time to nominate your health care heroes

THE Evening News is on the hunt for the heroes of the health service, whether they are a breast cancer surgeon pioneering new procedures or a community midwife whose support made all the difference.

Last year's Health Hero Margaret McEwan joins Jane Rennie and daughter Bella along with Forth 1 presenter Arlene Stuart. Picture: Julie Bull

As part of NHS Lothian’s Celebrating Success Awards, we want you to tell us about the healthcare staff who deserve recognition for every-day examples of extraordinary courage and kindness.

Margaret McEwan, a play specialist at the Sick Kids hospital, won the Health Hero award last year for her inspirational care of Bella Rennie, who was diagnosed with a brain tumour when she was just two.

Her mum, Jane, of Oxgangs, nominated Margaret for the award in honour of her unwavering support for Bella during the five months she spent on Ward 7 at the Sick Kids in 2013.

Margaret, from Tranent, has had such a profound effect that Bella even invited her to her fifth birthday party last month.

Jane, 33, said: “Margaret is just amazing. You always hear about the negatives in the NHS and I think it is great to be able to recognise the great things being done. So much that is done by staff goes unnoticed.”

Bella is still recovering from her chemotherapy and has to return to the hospital regularly to check her remaining tumours are not growing.

Jane said: “Margaret is our friend now. Whenever we go back to the hospital, the first thing Bella does is ask to see Margaret. It’s not just about play, it’s a distraction from all the difficult things going on.”

Margaret, 45, said: “I felt a bit like a celebrity – it was my 15 minutes of fame. It was very humbling as people were saying, ‘I don’t know how you do what you do, it’s amazing’, and I was thinking, ‘It’s just my job’.”

To mark the launch, Forth 1 presenter Arlene Stuart visited Margaret at the Sick Kids along with Jane and Bella.

The Health Hero award is open to anyone who works for NHS Lothian, to recognise those who put their heart and soul into delivering outstanding patient care.

Tim Davison, chief executive at NHS Lothian, said: “The Celebrating Success Awards mark the inspiring and truly amazing work that takes place across health services in Lothian every day.

“These hard-working and dedicated members of staff are really at the heart of NHS Lothian.”

Evening News deputy editor Euan McGrory said: “We are delighted to be once again supporting these fantastic awards. Our local NHS staff carry out outstanding work every single day of the year and often go far beyond the call of duty.”

Make your vote count

THE shortlist will be announced in early May with winners revealed during a glittering awards ceremony to be held at the Edinburgh Corn Exchange on June 17.

To nominate your Health Hero, please visit www.nhslothian.scot.nhs.uk/MediaCentre/CelebratingSuccess/Pages/csa.aspx or call 0131-465 5645.

The deadline for entries is April 8.

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