A NURSE missed her long service celebratory lunch to attend to her patients.

Helen Gilbert, a medical nurse specialist, was due to celebrate 30 years of service in the NHS at Hereford County Hospital at a special lunch.

But due to the pressures of work she missed the celebration to make sure her patients were well cared for.

Her friend Lisa Weaver said: "I just think she is the epitome of the NHS. She has been inspirational with her fundraising and putting everyone else first. She deserves to be celebrated.

"It is a lot these days to work somewhere for 30 years and then to miss her own party because she put her patients first just sums her up really."

Lisa, who used to work with Helen, said Hereford should be proud of Helen for all of her hard work and dedication.

She added: "Helen manages her own budgets and all of the rest of it. Yet she always has time for the staff. She always has time for her patients. She will stay after work and finish her paperwork."

Helen from Belmont in Hereford has remained dedicated to her job while coping with the devastating loss of her daughter Bethan Davies in September 2012.

Bethan died aged just 20 after being diagnosed with a rare form of an already rare cancer, pheochromocytoma.

Helen and sister Gemma launched a fundraising appeal called Beth's Wish in her memory, which provides support for young adults, aged 18 to 25, facing end of life care St Michael's Hospice.

Gemma works at the hospital too at the Macmillan Renton Unit.

Lisa added: "She has been through a lot with the loss of her daughter. She has done so much. She has been amazing.

"With the year of the NHS I think it is a great thing to celebrate."