Glenbrook's Margaret Bell is a nurse and midwife whose 12 years working with Medecins Sans Frontieres (Doctors Without Borders) was recently recognised by Member for Penrith, Stuart Ayres, with a community service award, approved by Premier Mike Baird.
"I was completely surprised and very honoured to have been chosen for this award," Ms Bell, 53, told the Gazette last week.
Travelling to some of the most needy, disaster-stricken and under-resourced health hot spots in the world, where brutal civil wars or even deadly viruses are part of life, she has willingly put herself in harm's way to save others.
"There are many people deserving however it's wonderful that the work of Medecins Sans Frontieres is being recognised. I gladly accept this award on behalf of all the Australian and New Zealand field workers responding to humanitarian crises around the world."
Mr Ayres said Ms Bell had "put aside her own safety and wellbeing to help others during her five field assignments to Pakistan; Akuem in South Sudan; Darfur in North Sudan; Jahun in Nigeria; and Port-au-Prince in Haiti.
"Margaret is an inspirational member of our community. Her dedication, compassion and commitment to caring for others is to be commended," the Member for Penrith said.
While the aid worker's earliest missions were a bit of a shock and "overwhelming", such as Darfur in North Sudan, she quickly learnt to "just focus on this person, this patient and if you can do something for them you can do something, otherwise it becomes too big."
The saddest thing was places like Darfur were still recovering with fresh violence and a new generation now living in emergency accommodation.
"That camp from 2004 is still there. I can't imagine what that would feel like," she said.
"We've got kids being born in camps, that's all they know, no-one is accepting them so they can't resettle."
Ms Bell, who accepted her award with a broken right arm (unrelated to her work at MSF), has also been a long term member of the Glenbrook Players and has starred as an actress in many of their productions as well as undertaking directing and behind the scenes roles.
Last year Ms Bell took on the role as women's health advisor for the group.
Ms Bell was one of only two community service award recipients. She was nominated by Mr Ayres and the decision was approved by the Premier Mike Baird. The other recipient was Dorothy Grant from Penrith for her services as a volunteer at Nepean Hospital and the CWA.
To help MSF go to: msf.org.au.
