Support worker Dawn Nicholson let first aiders pull a fishing hook out of her nose so that her patient could continue with the angling competition he was taking part in.
The selfless 40-year-old was looking after a man who was competing in the Jack Charlton Trout Cup at Kielder when the accident happened.
Despite suffering the painful injury, the mother of one chose to be treated on the riverbank instead of going to hospital, so that her patient could carry on with fishing.
And now after being nominated for a national award the support worker has told why she chose to put the man first.
Dawn, from Blyth, said: “The person I was supporting had been looking forward to the event for a long time so I was really keen that he was still able to enjoy the day and get the most he could out of it.
“He thoroughly enjoyed the day and even ended up catching two fish!”
Since leaving school, Dawn has been committed to providing social care for people in the community. She currently supports six people with learning disabilities to increase their independent living.
Dawn, who has worked for the charity Hft since March added: “I think the role lends itself very well to the caring side of my personality.
“No two days are the same in this job and we’re always doing new activities and trying out different things.
“Like the other support workers I work with, I definitely feel passionate about making a difference to the lives of people with learning disabilities and supporting them to live with as much independence as possible.”
Andrew Horner, Hft’s Divisional Director for the North said: “Dawn’s selfless actions during the fishing excursion were above and beyond anything that we would expect of our members of staff, and are a testament to the strong connection she has built with the person she supports.
“The care and compassion Dawn displayed are qualities we strive to find in all our support workers and we are delighted to see her commitment to her role being recognised on a national level.”
The final awards ceremony will be held on November 20, at the Science Museum in South Kensington, London.
People can vote for Dawn and view her fellow nominees here before October 11.
.png?w=600)
