British nurse beats 52,000 peers from 202 countries to win Aster Guardians Global Nursing Award 2023

Gulf Today, Staff Reporter

Margaret Helen Shepherd from UK has been announced as the winner of the Aster Guardians Global Nursing Award 2023 in a prestigious award ceremony held at Queen Elizabeth II Centre in London. The winner was announced by Dr. Azad Moopen, Founder Chairman and Managing Director of Aster DM Healthcare and the award was presented by Professor Jamie Waterall, Deputy Chief Public Health Nurse for the Office of Health Improvement & Disparities at Govt. of UK alongside Sheila Sobrany, President of Royal College of Nursing; Alisha Moopen, Deputy Managing Director, Aster DM Healthcare; and TJ Wilson, Executive Director and Group Head, Governance & Corporate Affairs, Aster DM Healthcare.

Launched on International Nurses Day in May 2021 by Aster DM Healthcare, with an aim to recognise the selfless contribution of nurses to millions of patients worldwide, Aster Guardians Global Nursing Award 2023 received an overwhelming response from nurses worldwide with over 52,000 nurses from 202 countries, a 116% growth from the last edition which had received 24,000 applications.

The award ceremony also saw a special video message from Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director General of World Health Organisation being played to congratulate all the finalists and thank Aster DM Healthcare for the initiative.

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On winning the award, Nurse Margaret said, "I am deeply humbled and grateful to receive the prestigious Aster Guardians Global Nursing Award. As healthcare professionals, we are privileged to be able to make a positive impact on the lives of our patients, and I feel blessed to be part of such a rewarding profession. This award not only recognises my personal achievements but also highlights the importance of nursing as a critical component of healthcare. Thank you to all my colleagues, mentors, and patients who have supported me throughout my career."

Margaret has been dedicated to improving diabetes care through better diagnosis. She is the leading nurse for monogenic diabetes in the UK and provides advice to clinicians across the world regarding the management of this condition. She set up a national network of genetic diabetes nurses in 2002 to increase awareness of this condition (which is initially misdiagnosed in 80% of cases, resulting in patients being treated with unnecessary insulin injections). She was one of 70 national NIHR70@70 Senior Nurse Research Leaders (driving innovation and new roles to increase research awareness and engagement within clinical care) and has received the prestigious Florence Nightingale Foundation Leadership Scholarship.

Dr. Azad Moopen, Founder Chairman and Managing Director of Aster DM Healthcare said, "We are honoured to announce Ms Margaret Helen Shepherd from the United Kingdom as the winner of this year's Aster Guardians Global Nursing Award. She has exemplified the highest standards of patient care and dedication that is inspirational, and it deserves global recognition. Each one of the top 10 finalists have done phenomenal work and the Grand Jury had a tough time assessing and selecting the final winner. We are privileged to offer Aster Guardians Global Nursing Award as a platform to share and honour the accomplishments of exceptional nurses from around the globe."

Alisha Moopen, Deputy Managing Director, Aster DM Healthcare said, "Aster Guardians Global Nursing Award is a small yet significant expression of gratitude that aligns with this year's International Nurses Day theme, 'Our Nurses. Our Future'. Nurses ensure that patients receive high-quality care and often go beyond their call of duty to ensure that the right care is provided. This often helps them develop into other areas like research, innovation, mentorship, education, digitisation among others as the stories of this year's finalists and the winner have showcased. We as individuals and organisations must ensure that they receive the recognition they deserve, and this is where initiatives like Aster Guardians Global Nursing Award come into play. As a group, we will continue to support and celebrate the tireless efforts of nurses and put forth their inspiring stories of excellence."

The rest of the 9 finalists, Cathy Cribben-Pearse from the UAE, Christine Mawia Sammy from Kenya, Gloria Ceballo from Panama, Jincy Jerry from Ireland, Lilian Yew Siew Mee from Singapore, Michael Joseph Dino from Philippines, Shanti Teresa Lakra from India, Teresa Fraga from Portugal, and Wilson Fungameza Gwessa from Tanzania were also awarded with a monetary prize.

These nurses were selected through a stringent review process run by Ernst & Young LLP, a panel of Screening-Jury and the Grand Jury.