Standing ovation for ‘inspirational’ Michelle

Michelle Johnson, who works in the Council’s Engineering Service, received a standing ovation from members at a meeting of Full Council this week. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Michelle was invited to the Council Chamber at Penallta House so that Councillors could formally recognise her outstanding work with heart patients following her own recovery from serious injuries in 2013. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

She recently received a ‘Health Hero’ award from WalesOnline for her outstanding work with heart patients. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

In 2013, Michelle suffered terrible injuries in a serious car accident and spent months recovering in hospital and at home with the assistance of doctors, nurses and community resource teams. Following her recovery, she approached the cardiac rehabilitation team at the University of Wales Hospital to see if she could help with patients who had suffered heart attacks or had heart surgery. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Michelle now volunteers two evenings a week in the hospital’s cardiac rehabilitation programme, on top of her full time job at the council and looking after her children. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Staff at the University Hospital of Wales nominated Michelle to become a ‘Health Hero’, and have praised her “never-ending sense of humour” and caring personality which gives patients a huge psychological boost. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

In addition, Michelle also attended the annual NHS Employee Recognition Awards ceremony, which was held last Friday, where she won the prestigious ‘Volunteer of The Year’ Award. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Cllr Robin Woodyatt introduced Michelle at the meeting of Full Council and said, “Michelle is an inspiration to us all and is now changing the lives of others after battling with her own life-threatening injuries. These awards are richly deserved and we would like to congratulate her on her impressive achievements.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Watch the announcement of Michelle’s award at Full Council. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​