Earlier this week it was International Nurses Day and we celebrated all that nurses do to make a difference to our patients and their loved ones.

It was a day to put the spotlight on our amazing nurses, healthcare support workers, nursing associates, registered nurses and student nursing associates.

It was also an opportunity for me to take a moment to thank them for everything they do.

Our nurses show compassion, selflessness, and go over and above to provide good care for our communities every single day, often in challenging circumstances.

Recently we asked staff to nominate their nursing heroes and there was such a fantastic response, which is a testament to the amazing work that our nurses do.

Having read through the nominations, certain phrases embody what it is to be a nurse. ‘She made the impossible happen’, ‘Going above and beyond’ and ‘Dedicated and compassionate’ were just some of the themes that ran through.

I have worked in nursing at NHS hospital trusts for over 40 years and reading the nominations made me proud to work at the Trust, but above all proud to be a nurse.

Congratulations and a special thank you this week also goes to Luke Butler – a dad who completed the London Marathon to raise funds for the SaTH Charity Neonatal Fund. His daughter Ella had been cared for by the Neonatal Unit in 2022.

Luke finished the marathon in three hours 11 minutes and has collected a fantastic £3,161 for the unit.

Ella was born at the Heartlands Hospital in Birmingham at 24 weeks and four days, weighing 1lb 10oz. She spent 108 days at three different neonatal units, one of which was the Princess Royal Hospital in Telford.

She is now a happy and healthy three-year-old. Ella and her dad came along to the unit recently to present a cheque to the team who treated Ella during her eight-week stay in the unit.

We are so grateful for Luke taking part in the marathon and the money will be used to improve the area patients use for expressing and preparing milk for their babies.

Luke’s JustGiving page remains open so you can still donate, follow the link.