Kenmore mother Amy Gomes has been named a finalist in the 2024 QBANK Everyday Heroes Awards, recognising her exceptional efforts to reduce children’s medical anxiety and support life-saving causes.
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Gomes’ journey from frontline healthcare worker to children’s author began with a simple observation. Throughout her 15-year career as a Critical Care Paramedic and Patient Safety Specialist, she noticed the fear that often gripped young children when confronted with emergency services.
“I became a Paramedic because I like meeting new people and am extremely privileged to be allowed into people’s worlds to make a positive impact, sometimes on the worst day of their lives,” she said.
“The most enjoyable times have been working in rural and remote locations, during relief opportunities or deployments during natural disasters.
“It allowed me to meet so many different people in our beautiful state, and it is also where I learnt how to be an independent Paramedic which set me up well for my progression into the Critical Care realm.”
“As a Paramedic, there are many occasions where we interact with kids in quite daunting circumstances,” Gomes explained. “It’s not uncommon for them to be afraid of us, even when they aren’t the patient.”
Recognising a lack of resources addressing this issue for young audiences, Gomes took matters into her own hands. In late 2023, she self-published “What Paramedics Do,” a children’s book aimed at normalising and explaining the role of these crucial first responders.
The impact of her initiative extends far beyond her local community. Since its release, the book has become a valuable tool for starting conversations about paramedics, providing education, and reducing medical anxiety in children through increased familiarity.
But Gomes’ ambitions reach even further. Through her small business, ‘One Little Heart,’ she’s channelling the book’s success into tangible, life-saving results. One dollar from every sale goes to Greg Page’s charity, Heart of the Nation.
“So far, I have been able to facilitate the donation of four public access Automated external defibrillators (AEDs), with two more awaiting handover,” she said.
The paramedic’s efforts don’t stop there. Gomes is actively advocating for a public access AED Bill through the state government, aiming to improve Queenslanders’ access to these critical devices and incorporate related education into school curricula.
Her work has garnered international attention, with an American adaptation of the book now available. Gomes is already planning the next instalment in her series, “What Police Do,” further expanding her educational reach.
The QBANK Everyday Heroes Awards have recognised Gomes in the Achievement category, a distinction that both humbles and excites her. “I am enormously honoured and grateful to be nominated by my peers and even more stoked to be a finalist,” she says.
Should she win, Gomes plans to donate the prize money to Heart of the Nation for the purchase of another life-saving AED. It’s a decision that perfectly encapsulates her commitment to community service and saving lives – a mission that touches lives across Queensland and beyond.
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The winners of the QBANK Everyday Heroes Awards will be announced at a ceremony in Brisbane on 11 October 2024, potentially adding another chapter to this inspiring Kenmore mum’s remarkable story.
Published 1-October-2024
