Sue Ahearn is known as "the face of maternity" at the Queanbeyan Hospital.
The much-loved ward clerk is the first point of call for expectant mothers and their partners, and is one of the reasons women choose Queanbeyan Hospital to have their baby, even when they live in Canberra.
Maternity Unit Manager (MUM) Emma Mann recently nominated Sue for the Care and Kindness Award in the Southern NSW Local Health District's 2024 Excellence Awards.
'She makes people feel safe and special'
"From the moment our women and their families arrive on the unit, call on the phone or even when booking in their pregnancy online, it is Sue who greets them and makes them feel not only safe but special," Ms Mann said in her nomination.
"Sue has been 'manning the fort' for the past 10 years and is the glue that keeps maternity together. An unsung hero, Sue is what Southern NSW Health is all about."
And with those kind of commendations, Sue was a shoo-in.
She won the award but, unfortunately, could not attend the ceremony, instead watching from home, laid up with COVID.
'I was blown away'
Now fully recovered and back to work behind the desk in maternity, Sue was overwhelmed to receive the Care and Kindness Award for the whole health district.
"I was blown away," she said. "I was really surprised - out of 300 people who were nominated. It was pretty special."
She says there's no secret to what she does.
"I just treat people the way I would like to be treated when they make contact. And just do what I can to get them sorted," she said.
Goulburn-born Sue has been with the Queanbeyan Hospital for 16 years, with 10 years in maternity. Her previous jobs included preparing meals in the kitchen, ordering stores and manning the main reception. Her parents Ted and Betty Atkins live in Pearce.
As well as keeping fellow staff well-caffeinated and fed ("If she could have shares in our local Mill House Cafe, then I am sure she would," Emma reckoned), Sue is a calm presence as women prepare for birth.
"I book people in, take phone calls and help them with any problems, if they're worried. I take their details and get the midwives to talk to them. Reschedule appointments. Results and referrals come in so I contact them to fill in their online booking form, which we developed a few years ago and got an innovation award for that" she said.
Staff at the hospital were her "second family".
"We're really close-knit and it's a really good team to work with," she said.
'She reassured and comforted me'
Canberra couple Safia Mansouri and Oscar Heidrich welcomed their first child, Mia, at the Queanbeyan Hospital at 3.30am on Tuesday, July 2.
By coincidence, Safia on Thursday told Sue that she was the reason she decided to have her baby at Queanbeyan.
"I had some issues at 12 weeks with paperwork and hadn't got into the Canberra midwifery program and I was overwhelmed and quite upset and I called Sue in a fluster, having spent a few hours on the phone to CHS," Safia, of Florey, said.
"She must have heard it in my voice because she immediately said, 'Hey, darling, calm down, you've got time, you're 12 weeks'. She talked me through what care would look like at Queanbeyan and I just felt really reassured and comforted. And that's how we ended up here and it's been a great journey and we've got the little one now.
"So thank you - you made all the difference."
Sue said it was "lovely to hear" Safia's story.
But she did think Emma Mann was "a little bit naughty" nominating her for the award.
"It was really nice but I feel it shouldn't be just for me, but the whole unit, because we just all work together," she said.
