SHE IS the unsung hero who was brought into the spotlight by her patients.

Now the winner of last year’s Hospital Heroes award is encouraging patients and their loved ones to show their gratitude to vital frontline hospital staff who go above and beyond their duties to help people at the most vulnerable times of their lives.

Sunitha Narayan, neuromuscular coordinator at the Wessex Neurological Centre, received the Daily Echo Readers' choice award during a glitzy ceremony last March and hopes that other people will be rewarded this year.

Sunitha said: “We work to make people’s life better but to be nominated by someone else makes it even more worthwhile. So if someone has made a difference in your life and you want to let them know please nominate them because it really helps to know that what you do is important.”

Sunitha also uses her fluency in five different languages to help patients from Asian backgrounds get the healthcare they need and promotes equality and diversity in the trust.

“This award meant a lot to me because I was nominated by patients. It is one of the best achievement in my life so far. It makes you feel your work matters to someone and I was over the moon when I got the award," she added.

The Daily Echo is partnering up with University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust to champion individuals who the public feel have provided outstanding care.

Whether it is a friendly doctor, a midwife who helped deliver your little bundle of joy or a nurse who looked after your loved ones we want to hear the stories of those people who have gone the extra mile to support you.

Heroes can be picked between all those who work for the trust which runs Southampton General Hospital, the Princess Anne Hospital, Countess Mountbatten House and some departments at the Royal South Hants Hospital.

The winner will be honoured during an official ceremony at St Mary’s Stadium on March 28.

Send us your nomination by March 10 by emailing maria.zaccaro@dailyecho.co.uk. You can also write to Maria Zaccaro, Newsroom, Southern Daily Echo, Test Lane, Redbridge, Southampton, SO16 9JX. Please include a contact telephone number.