A children’s nurse from Omagh has been recognised as a Community Hero for her work during the Covid 19 pandemic.
Janice Gurney from the Co Tyrone town was nominated for the award at South West College in Enniskillen to recognise unsung heroes in the local community.
Janice was nominated for the awards night by the parent of a child with Down’s Syndrome who she has cared for for several years. The Omagh woman cares for children with a wide range of conditions and illnesses, including many with cancer diagnoses.
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“I just found out the previous week, the college rang me up and said that I’d been nominated by one of the mothers on my case load,” Janice told MyTyrone.
“I’ve been looking after her child for about the last year, I was quite shocked.
“I wouldn’t say I have done anything special, it’s just what I do every day.
“But the mother said we had been a great help to them and that’s why she had nominated me.
“A lot of the children I work with would maybe have developmental issues different types of life limiting conditions, and many of them stay with us for years.
“I get to know the kids and parents over a long period of time, some of them for as long as 15 years."
The sixteen Community Heroes recognised by the college were invited to a gala dinner in its new campus last week.
"I've often had people thank me a lot over the years, but the fact that she did that made me think that people can see something that I don't see myself.
"Sometimes you don't realise that you are helping them so much, wee things like that really make the job worthwhile.
"I love being able to get things sorted for families because I can walk away in the evening, but none of these families can."
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