Pride of Guernsey: Anne McAuliffe and Tom Jones

‘TWO LOVELY PEOPLE’ are how Angel of the Year nominees, physiotherapists Anne McAuliffe and Tom Jones, are described by Erin Cottell, who has put their names forward for the award, sponsored by Ravenscroft.

‘After a near-death experience I was left with neuropathy in my foot and a paralysed arm,’ said Miss Cottell.
‘It’s been just over a year since this accident, and without Anne and Tom’s amazing help I doubt I would have recovered as well as I have.’
She said that not only had they helped her physical health, but her mental health has also improved.
Miss Cottell said she had struggled to leave the house: ‘I was exhausted all the time and I was so depressed and traumatised by my accident that I didn’t want to wake up most mornings.’
The one exception to this, she said,
was receiving physiotherapy: ‘Even now I love going, because no matter how little progress I make, they’re always so positive and cheerful.
‘Anne has encouraged me the whole time and having her give me that support has made such a big difference to my mental health.
‘Tom, on the other hand, always pushes me to try even harder. He knows my stubborn nature means I’ll always strive to prove everyone wrong about how much I can achieve.
‘With nothing else happening in my life, these two lovely people would brighten up my day.
‘I still look forward to seeing them, even though my life is more on track than ever.’
This autumn she intends to returned to university: ‘Something I wasn’t sure would be possible a year ago.
‘I don’t think I can thank them enough for keeping me sane and giving me hope for my future health.
‘I know for a fact that without Anne and Tom, I would be in a much darker place.
‘Despite the cheesy sentiment, they have really been my angels, and I know everyone who has seen my journey this past year will agree.’