CELEBRATIONS Volunteer is up for heart award

A DEDICATED volunteer is celebrating after being nominated for a prestigious award for her drive to help keep her heart patients and their families as comfortable as possible.

Michelle Johnson, a senior engineer at Caerphilly council, has been shortlisted for a British Heart Foundation Cymru Heart Hero Award for her drive and commitment in helping to improve the lives of heart patients and their families.

The annual Heart Hero Awards recognise and celebrate the exceptional contribution that British Heart Foundation volunteers and supporters make to the fight against heart disease.

One of just three to be shortlisted in the Heart Health Professional category, Michelle has been invited to attend a BHF Cymru Supporter Day and Heart Heroes Award ceremony in September where the nominees will discover if they have been successful.

After being involved in a car accident in 2013 and needing intensive physiotherapy to help get back on her feet, Michelle wanted to give something back to the NHS.

So with a background in sport, she contacted the Cardiac Rehabilitation Service at the University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff, to volunteer in the cardiac rehabilitation programme.

Despite her full-time job and young family, Michelle has volunteered to help the cardiac rehab team run their exercise sessions for the past two years – and has managed to barely miss a session.

She also funded herself through the BACPR Exercise Instructor course, and has since established two maintenance exercise classes which she runs twice a week, as well as continuing to support the cardiac rehab programme.

Announcing Michelle as a finalist, judges said: “What really shines through is Michelle’s personality; she is highly motivated, enthusiastic and caring and is a tremendous asset to the cardiac rehabilitation team.

“She is extremely popular with the patients and helps build their confidence following a life threatening event.”

Michelle said: “The rewards of volunteering and working with the local community are immense to me. I have gained new qualification and met new friends for life.

“The cardiac rehab team do an awesome job (specialist cardiac nurses, physiotherapists, dieticians and occupational therapists) and I feel honoured to be part of this great team.”