Woman from Shropshire hospital nominated for BBC Make a Difference Award
The woman has helped one patient amongst many realise his potential, his mum said
A woman who works at a Shropshire hospital has been nominated in the BBC Make a Difference Awards.
Kate Betts, who works at The Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital (RJAH) near Oswestry, is up for the Active Award in the Shropshire regional category.
The Active Award goes to the person or group that has used physical activity or sport to improve the lives of people in their community.
The BBC awards were created to highlight local heroes across the country.
Ms Betts works as a therapy associate practitioner at the Midlands Centre for Spinal Injuries (MCSI), located at the RJAH.
The practitioner helps people with physical disabilities stay active, as well as being there to assist them in becoming more independent.
She was nominated for the award by the RJAH’s League of Friends chief executive officer Victoria Sugden.
Ms Sugden said: “Kate goes above and beyond for everyone. Her gentle nature, unfailingly happy disposition and deep love of her work make a real difference to her patients and colleagues.”
Ms Betts, who joined the RJAH in 1994, herself stated: “I feel humbled and honoured to have been nominated and shortlisted for this award. I am fortunate to be part of an amazing team of nurses, physiotherapists and occupational therapists, whose commitment enables me to carry out activities with our patients and their families.
“Recognising each patient as an individual and understanding their interests is a vital part of rehabilitation.
“I really enjoy involving patients in activities beyond the hospital grounds, but the most rewarding part is seeing them take part in activities that they enjoy after many months in hospital or seeing them try something new that they never thought would be possible.”
One of the people Ms Betts has helped during her time at the RJAH is Morgan.
Morgan’s mum Julie said Ms Betts helped her son realise that there was a life out there after his injury.
She said that Ms Betts has a “natural ability to see the individual”, which helped her get Morgan into opportunities such as wheelchair rugby because she noticed his competitive edge.
Morgan himself called Ms Betts “incredible” for all her help during his rehabilitation journey.
The winner of the Active Award will be announced at the BBC Make a Difference Awards ceremony in Shropshire on September 25.
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