Natasha Allan-Reeves from Blantyre has received a prestigious award for her exceptional support to grieving parents Hannah and Kieran Craig.
Midwife Natasha who works for the NHS, was singled out for the award for the outstanding care she gave Hannah and Kieran Craig when their babies Oliver and Charlie sadly died last year.
The couple put Natasha forward for the Mariposa Awards, and were thrilled when she picked up the Compassion Award at a recent ceremony in London. Natasha had only qualified as a midwife six months before taking care of the Craigs. She was judged to have gone above and beyond as she supported the heartbroken parents, whose sons were born prematurely at 24 weeks and died soon after.
Hannah, 28, said: “The Compassion Award was made for people like Natasha, who genuinely care and provide their patients with the utmost loving support during the most horrific times of their lives.”
Hannah continued: “Natasha became our person – the one we would cry to. I’ll never forget the moment I lay under the covers, drenched in my own tears, terrified to face another day. It was Natasha who sat by my side. She’d ensure we ate and often offered to get us a takeaway once her shift finished.”
Natasha, 25 said: “I was very touched to be nominated by Hannah and Kieran and it was a wonderful surprise to win.
“I was a junior midwife in the postnatal ward at the time. I supported the family in the way I’d want to care for any family, helping them at the time they needed it most.
I’m a twin as well. We talked about me and my twin brother and said it was somehow meant to be that I was the one who was looking after them.”
Cheryl Clark, NHS Lanarkshire Director of Midwifery, said: “Huge congratulations to Natasha from all of her colleagues – we’re really proud of her.”
Congratulations Natasha. We’re delighted you got this much deserved award and your kindness and compassion is something all of Blantyre is proud of.
Photo Courtesy: NHS Lanarkshire
