TWO HARDWORKING health workers from Wrexham have been nominated for a prestigious award.

Pam Wedley and Harriet Mallott are two of 11 health care workers in the running to receive the Seren Betsi Gold Award at this year’s BCUHB Achievement Awards.

The Seren Betsi Award is presented each month by chief executive Gary Doherty to a member of staff, team or volunteer in the Health Board in recognition of their efforts to go above and beyond.

And this year for the first time, the public can vote for one of the previous winners of this award, to win an annual Seren Betsi Gold Award.

Pam is a senior Macmillan information facilitator, based at the Maelor Hospital in Wrexham and has demonstrated dedication to cancer patients by improving her Welsh and learning British Sign Language to help her communicate better with patients.

She has introduced a vital counselling service and a hair loss service in the cancer information and support centre.

Pam has also established memory boxes for the families of palliative care patients and raises the money for these by holding bakery demonstrations in her own time and also collecting donations.

Speaking of her previous award, she said: “I am absolutely overwhelmed to receive the Seren Betsi Star Award. I just want to do my best to improve the lives of others. Little things can make such a huge difference.

“I am so honoured to be receiving this, not just for myself but for all my colleagues at Macmillan and Shooting Star because I couldn’t do this without them.

“It’s a massive passion for me to do this job, it’s the patients who inspire me to do it.

“It has been an inspiration to lead this work for Betsi Cadwaladr and Macmillan and promote it right across Wales.”

Harriet has been nominated for award based on her work with older adults with mental health problems.

She has raised more than £2,500 to fund therapeutic activities and new medical equipment for Hydref Ward at the Heddfan Unit at Wrexham Maelor Hospital.

Harriet works with the Royal Voluntary Service charity and this year shaved off her long blonde hair and donated it to The Little Princess Trust, a charity which makes real hair wigs for children who have lost their hair due to cancer treatment.

Speaking of her award win earlier in the year, she said: “I work with the most amazing patients who suffer from mental health conditions such as dementia, schizophrenia and personality disorders to name a few. Not only do these diagnosis affect our patients, they affect their families too.

“Anyone who knows me knows that I value my looks and find confidence in them so by shaving my hair I was willing to allow myself to feel completely vulnerable, just like my patients must feel every day.

“The love I received from colleagues, patients and their families almost made me cry more than the fact my hair was gone.”

The winner will be revealed at the BCUHB Achievement Awards on the 9 November 2018 at Venue Cymru.

To vote, visit bcugetinvolved.wales/seren-betsi-gold-award

Voting closes on October 12