ACT - The Association for Children's Palliative Care

ACT has announced the winners and runners up in their Champions Awards scheme designed to recognise excellence in the delivery of services to life-limited children, young people and their families in England.

The charity asked children and young people with life-limiting or life-threatening conditions, as well as their parents, family members and carers to tell them about their ‘Champions’. ACT knows how much parents and carers value the care provided by so many individuals, teams and organisations to their children and wanted this hard work to be acknowledged.

The winners of the four awards categories are:

Best Individual - Corine Koppenol-Lyndon, Head of Care, Community Services, Demelza-James
Best Team - Complex Health Needs Team, Rotherham
Best Organisation - Langside School, Poole
The David Baum Lifetime Achievement Award - John Overton

 Highly Commended awards went to:

Best Individual - Lorna Rogers, Respite Carer, EPIC Children`s Respite Service, Mid Essex PCT
Best Team - The Paediatric Oncology Team at the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital
Best Organisation - Claire House Children’s Hospice
The David Baum Lifetime Achievement Award – Lenore Hill

Everyone who made a nomination was entered into a £100 prize draw and Mrs Shabeela Qureshi won the prize. 

Samantha Isted who nominated the Best Individual winner said: “I’m so pleased, she absolutely deserves to win, she is an amazing woman. Without Corine Koppenol my darling son would have had to spend even more time in hospital, because his veins were so small, and she is such an expert in that field, but most of all Peirs, my son, trusted Corine and absolutely adored her. He wanted her cloned so he could take her with him on his many hospital visits, and he was serious. It takes a very special person to work in this field, and Corine is very special to me and my family.”

The winners of the ACT Champions Awards 2008 are being presented with an engraved crystal award at an awards ceremony at the International Children’s Palliative Care Conference today. Part of their prize is to have a free place at the International Conference which includes accommodation, all meals at the conference, a free place at the Conference Gala Dinner and travel expenses. Those professionals who have been highly commended will receive a framed certificate after the event.

Sandra and Alex Blainey who nominated Langside School said: "The team at Langside School are fantastic. They do such a good job with children with profound and multiple disabilities. It is a great weight from our shoulders to know that Elizabeth is looked after so well for the school day. They know her so well, and there is such a 'family' feeling to the school. We hope that this award goes some way to thanking them for the tremendous work they do."

Annette Edwards who nominated the Complex Health Needs Team, Rotherham for their care of her daughter said: “The carers provide help and assistance through respite and a shoulder to cry on when times are bad. They are like a second family to us and treat Maisy like the special little girl she is.”

ACT would like to thank everyone who made a nomination and the Department of Health (England) for supporting the ACT Champions Awards.

Lizzie Chambers, Chief Executive of ACT added: “I hope the winners and those professionals who have been highly commended are delighted with their recognition. We must celebrate all those individuals, teams and organisations which make such a difference to families’ lives and provide excellent care for children with life-limiting and life-threatening illnesses”.