WINNER: Dora Abbi, sponsored by the Abbey School
A teenager who has experienced loved ones facing life-changing accidents and chronic diagnosis has been driven to increase the youth voice in healthcare.
Dora Abbi, aged 17, thought it important to recognise that families and patients had a say in health policy, empathising with how families feel with loved ones in hospital, said her nominator.
She joined the Royal Berkshire Hospital Youth forum, where she talked at regional focus groups about primary care access and organised a gift drive which collected 100 gifts for child patients.
“Most significantly, she became part of the Call4Concern advisory board, a service which provides around-the-clock access to second clinical opinions if family/patients are concerned about their care,” said the nominator.
Dora also got involved with the 15-step challenge to provide a youth perspective of the paediatric’s ward, said her nominator, and recently started a Get Well Soon card drive at her school and is looking to organise a pen-pal programme in the future.
She volunteers weekly at a care home, organising activities to tackle loneliness and promotes her school’s food bank to support a local primary school.
Her nominator continued: “In one year, she helped a hundred plus people in our local community who benefited from gifts, the food bank, games nights and her advocacy, whilst inspiring people to come together.”
After being recognised with the award, Dora said: “It’s crazy, I’m absolutely honoured. It’s so nice to be appreciated.
“I found out that I had been nominated of the first week of school.
“Being part of this community is so special. I’ve been here my whole life, I grew up here so it means a lot to be able to give something back.”
