Bernadette Goddard’s dedication to making a difference to the lives of children in the Hunter has been recognised with a prestigious award.

The Clinical Nurse Consultant in Paediatric Asthma at John Hunter Children’s Hospital is honoured to receive the Humpty Dumpty Foundation’s 2020-21 Michelle Beets Award for Inspirational Paediatric Care (metropolitan).

Ms Goddard has been helping kids in the region for 26 years, specialising in asthma for the last 14. 

“It is very exciting,” she said.

“To have my research and the benefits it can have recognised is incredible, but what is most important is that we have won $25,000 for children with respiratory illnesses in the Hunter. 

“I am really looking forward to seeing how we can help those kids. 

“I won the award for my research into asthma to make outcomes better for children because it can be very deadly and very dangerous. 

“All asthma care is individualised but I don’t think it is individualised enough, I am looking at specific care in paediatric patients. 

“The other thing I am looking at is children who show up to Emergency two or three times a year with respiratory problems. 

“I am researching that group of kids to find if there’s anything missing and what we can do to help them avoid multiple hospital visits.” 

In addition to her incredible research, The Humpty Dumpty Foundation has also acknowledged Ms Goddard’s work to develop a severe asthma clinic at John Hunter Children’s Hospital.

The foundation says it has delivered extraordinary results, including reduced hospitalisations, paediatric intensive care unit admissions and the duration of hospital stays for kids with asthma.

Ms Goddard says working with children is exactly what she should be doing. 

“Paediatrics is very special and I couldn’t imagine doing anything else,” she said.

“You make a difference, it sounds corny, but it is very valuable, all nursing is valuable, but for me paediatric nursing is where I can do the most and I am so privileged to be able to do this.”

Ms Goddard’s research is facilitated through the Hunter Medical Research Institute (HMRI) and the University of Newcastle’s School of Nursing. 

She was selected as a winner from a pool of finalists and shares the honour with Wagga Wagga Base Hospital’s Diabetes Educator and Clinical Nurse Specialist Mark Taylor who took out the 2020-21 Michelle Beets Award for Inspirational Paediatric Care (regional) honour. 

Humpty Dumpty Foundation Founder and Chairman Paul Francis OAM commended the duo for their incredible work. 

“Now more than ever this award has such a special prominence with our community really becoming aware of the significant sacrifices our doctors and nurses are making on our behalf,” he said.

“In a field of outstanding and truly inspiring candidates, Bernadette and Mark demonstrated they truly go above and beyond to achieve the best possible health outcomes for children.”

Get all the latest Newcastle news, sport, entertainment, lifestyle, competitions and more delivered straight to your inbox with the Newcastle Weekly Daily Newsletter. Sign up here.