CARE TO SPARE
My mum’s a nurse and she’s my hero – she never gives up even at 81, says Susanna Reid
WHEN Susanna Reid accepted an invite to The Sun’s Who Cares Wins awards there was only one person she wanted to take – her kind-hearted mum.
The Good Morning Britain host’s mother Sue Smith, 81, worked as a nurse and health visitor for 50 years and still volunteers today despite being retired.
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Susanna, 51, gave out the Young Hero award — alongside boxer Anthony Joshua — at our star-studded bash at the Roundhouse in North London on Tuesday.
The Who Cares Wins winners will be revealed tomorrow night on Channel 4 at 6.30pm.
Backstage at the ceremony, which honoured the heroic medics, scientists and volunteers working in the healthcare sector, she said: “It’s so special to be here and bring my mum, who’s been a nurse for the best part of 20 years.
“She is now a volunteer chaplain at Evelina London Children’s Hospital, helping to look after families of sick children.
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“She recently did a sponsored abseil down London’s St Thomas’ Hospital.
“She is amazing, my hero.”
Sue qualified as a nurse at the now closed Westminster Hospital in the 1960s.
She said of her time as a volunteer: “I see nurses doing amazing things.
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“I still visit families who have babies that had heart surgery and things.
“While you’ve still got life you should use it. That’s why I volunteer.
“It’s very rewarding when you get to a certain age when you have skills and experience that mean you can understand better than others.
“I did try to do things that didn’t involve caring but they never seemed to stick.”
Susanna added: “Once a nurse always a nurse.”
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The TV favourite has previously revealed Sue is affectionately known as “Nurse Grandma” by her and her three sons, Sam, 20, Finn, 18, and Jack, 17.
She said: “At the heart of my family is a woman who has spent 60 years taking care of others.
“Nurse Grandma, as we affectionately call her, is who everyone in our family calls when there’s a cough that won’t go or a temperature that needs bringing down.
“She is well qualified for the role, having started her training to become a state registered nurse at Westminster Hospital days after her 18th birthday.
“She took her finals in 1962 and was so proud of wearing her ‘frilly’, the distinctive nurse’s cap awarded once students had graduated.”
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Susanna has said her mum’s amazing work as a nurse inspired her work ethic.
Sue has joined her lookalike daughter on the Good Morning Britain sofa several times, with viewers taking to social media to praise how “glamorous” she is and her “youthful” appearance.
Her mum has been on the show to talk about her work with the charity The Silver Line, which sees her pair up with an older person to chat to them on the phone and keep them company.
On another occasion, mum-of-three Sue revealed how her youngest child was a nightmare teen growing up.
She said in 2016: “Susanna was lovely until she was 13. She was absolutely wonderful. She was a joy.
“When she was 13, overnight she turned absolutely horrible.
“When she was 15 we sort of said, ‘Look, hang on a minute, either we’re going to get on well and support each other or we’re going to make each other’s lives hell’ and we’ve been best friends ever since. I’m proud of her.”
In September, pictures of Susanna and Sue queuing for seven hours to see the Queen Lying-in-State in Westminster Hall went viral as fans flocked to praise their dedication.
The next day This Morning presenters Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby faced a backlash for appearing to skip the line.
Susanna said at the time she “was so proud of her mum” for queuing with her.
It was the first time the presenter has attended our awards — set up in 2017 — which were hosted by Davina McCall and sponsored by The National Lottery.
She said of the night: “It’s been absolutely amazing.
“You hear one story and you just get absolutely blown away. And then you hear the next one and realise we are absolutely awash with completely selfless people who are compassionate, caring and generous.”
On the awards winners, Sue added: “They’ll be very emotional and proud.
“They’ll hope the Prime Minister takes heed of what they’re doing and thanks them.”
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Additional reporting: AMANDA DEVLIN AND THEA JACOBS
- Watch our Who Cares Wins Awards on Channel 4 and All 4 tomorrow at 6.30pm.
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