National recognition for health hero Cerise

Cerise Stubbings, associate community matron for the Rotherham NHS Foundation Trust, Cerise Stubbings, is one of seven nominees for a Daily Mail Health Hero gong.

She was shortlisted after a joint nomination from two families who she has worked extensively with over the last couple of years. 

Cerise, who will travel to London for an awards ceremony on Wednesday, described it as, “one of the biggest achievements” of her career.

“I’m completely overwhelmed,” she said.

“It’s such an honour to have even been nominated, never mind making it to the final seven! I get emotional when I think about it and I’m very grateful to the families who nominated me. 

“I feel like this nomination is really for the whole team as I couldn’t do my job without the support of my wonderful colleagues.

“I love my job and, in my head, I’m already a winner. I’m really excited to get down to London but I’m a bit nervous about the whole thing.”

Community neurological matron Joanne Roberts, who manages Cerise, said: “The neuro team are so pleased that our valued colleague, Cerise, is to receive such well-deserved and prestigious recognition.

“To reach the final seven in this nationwide award is an amazing achievement and testament to her commitment to patients and families.”

Although Cerise hasn’t seen her nomination, she is in contact with the families, with one of them still under her care. 

Speaking of her patient, Cerise says: “He’s not able to speak but gets so excited whenever we are discussing the awards, he has tears in his eyes, which just means the world to me.”