Former King Henry VIII School student Gemma Wham has won a National Macmillan Excellence award for her pioneering work in developing services for cancer patients.

Thirty-year-old Gemma moved to Bristol from Abergavenny four years ago to take up a Macmillan national pilot, launching a new, one-to-one cancer support worker role.

After three years of hard work and dedication the role, within the University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust, was commissioned last year and Gemma now hopes to see it adopted at other hospitals UK-wide.

Macmillan Professionals Excellence Awards recognise and celebrate the outstanding contribution Macmillan professionals make to cancer services.

The awards night in the Hilton Metropole Hotel, Birmingham was attended by more than 400 professionals and hosted by TV presenter and broadcaster Gethin Jones.

Gemma came top in the Service Improvement Excellence category. Her ‘vision’ in developing the rehabilitation and support worker role was described as ‘game-changing’.

Gemma told the Chronicle she was ‘privileged, proud and absolutely amazed’ to receive the award.

The new role aims to improve the experience of patients before, during and after cancer treatment by adopting a holistic approach to their needs.

One of Gemma’s many initiatives involved introducing a one-click e-referral system allowing clinical nurse specialists to refer patients to her easily and efficiently.

She also established regular, well-attended, health and wellbeing events and supported a successful scheme to help patients boost their fitness in advance of surgery.

The service also helps patients deal with the added financial strains of their situation - pointing them towards benefits and charitable grants that can help with transport costs, heating bills and so on.

Every month the support service in Bristol receives forty to fifty new referrals but Gemma is hoping that as the service she has pioneered is extended to other parts of the country, many more patients will benefit.

“The real positive about my role is the amount of time I am able to spend with patients – it’s something clinical nurse specialists simply don’t have,” she said.

“Patients can always access our service, and they find this reassuring. It’s a fantastic job to do - very rewarding.

“Macmillan has helped me to grow both personally and professionally, and they have looked after me so that I can look after lots of other people. I’m so proud about what the service has become.”