Staffordshire vet practice manager is finalist in the veterinary 'Oscars'

Staffordshire vet practice manager is finalist in the veterinary ‘Oscars’ after being nominated by her colleagues for remaining dedicated to local pets whilst undergoing treatment for cancer.

Nicky Sheldon, who is practice manager of EC Straiton Vets, continued to oversee a major refurbishment of the Penkridge veterinary hospital while undergoing chemotherapy and radiotherapy after being diagnosed with cervical cancer.

Her nomination is in the The Petplan Veterinary Awards, which has been running for 27 years and regarded as the ‘Oscars’ of the veterinary profession. The awards recognise teams and individuals who make a difference to the lives of clients, pets and veterinary teams.

Nicky said: “Finding out I had been nominated for the award was such a shock, but it’s nice to be recognised in this way and it is extra special that the team put my name forward.

“I have faced some big challenges this year, but everyone at EC Straiton’s has been amazing and supportive and I love working here. It’s such a wonderful team to be part of and we are just like a family, and despite being unwell I wanted to be there for everyone to help them get through a busy time.

“As well as making sure the project stayed on track, it was important to keep the team feeling positive and upbeat while the work was going on around them, and it was helpful to have something to focus my mind on.”

This year, over 20,700 nominations were made, and Nicky is one of just 15 finalists across five categories and since completing her treatment, Nicky has been given the all-clear from cancer.

Helena Diffey, who nominated Nicky for the Petplan Awards, said: “Nicky’s cancer journey has demonstrated her remarkable personal strength, it is important she is not defined by her illness.”