NHS STAFF have been moved to tears after being nominated for ‘moments of magic’ by grateful families from across the Midlands.
The Birmingham Women’s and Children’s NHS Foundation Trust’s (BWC) annual staff awards, the BWC Spirit Awards 2022, were held in Birmingham Library, representing the first in-person awards ceremony since 2019.
The trust celebrated award winners from 16 categories, including Lifetime Achievement, Unsung Hero and the Moment of Magic, a category nominated by patients and families.
Dr Fidan Israfil-Bayli was handed the Moment of Magic award for staying on beyond her shift to perform complex suture operations on two women at risk of having a premature birth.
She said: “The two speeches from the patients were especially precious for me,
“I even started crying, it was very touching. I’m just happy to save someone’s baby, somebody’s pregnancy.
“I think it’s amazing. I’m very happy that I can give that joy, that moment of magic, to patients.”
Four categories were also presented virtually through the week so more people could take part in the celebration.
Zoe Birch won the Charity Champion award after raising more than £12,500 for the Children’s Hospital charity in memory of her daughter.
She said: “It’s unreal, I’m completely shocked and surprised and I wasn’t expecting it. I wasn’t expecting to be nominated, let alone win, so it’s a bit of a shock, but I’m very proud.
“My daughter was a patient of Birmingham Children’s since she was one years old and the metabolic condition that she had was looked after by the Children’s.
“She passed away three years ago, she was 17 when she died, and she was always such a kind, caring person and I just wanted to keep her legacy and her memory alive and do plenty of charity work to try and raise some money for the hospital and the departments who looked after her.”
The attendees were even treated to some celebrity entertainment as Britain’s Got Talent star, Eva Abley, herself a patient at the Children’s Hospital, got the crowd laughing going into the interval.
BWC received more than 550 nominations to the awards this year, making it a record-breaking year for the number of nominations.
Chief executive Sarah-Jane Marsh said: “What a special week it was, culminating in the most fantastic awards ceremony – the first time for more than three years we were able to truly celebrate and be inspired by the very best of BWC.
“Our Spirit Awards are just so humbling. Hearing about the countless examples of colleagues going above and beyond for our patients and families makes us all immensely proud.”
