This year’s Pharmacist of the Year winner, Anne Marie Fadden, proved herself a valuable asset to her community through her caring and compassionate nature. She has frequently gone above and beyond to help her customers, offering advice and reassurance through difficult times.
When Ann Marie’s daughter became ill a few months ago, it was a difficult time for her and her family. Six different courses of antibiotics, surgery and numerous trips to the doctor left Ann Marie and her daughter with a lack of consistency and reassurance in their lives. This changed when they met pharmacist Anne Marie Fadden. “Anne Marie always listened and she always cared. I suppose because I was always seeing different GPs and different doctors and she was the only constant. She was reassuring, and she’d give me advice,” says customer, Ann Marie O’Flaherty.
Anne Marie’s genuine concern as to the welfare of both mother and daughter provided a welcome comfort. While a personal touch goes far for any patient, for this mum of two, it went miles. When she realised how far mother and daughter had to travel to the pharmacy, Anne Marie even offered to drop off medication to their home. “I didn’t want to take her up on that offer, but that’s not that point,” notes Ann Marie O’Flaherty. “The point is she offered it in the first place.” While her daughter is now recovering well after surgery, she feels it was the professionalism and caring attitude from Anne Marie that gave her strength during this time. “I don’t know how much thanks pharmacists get but I just really appreciated everything she did for me.”