Michelle Ward has spent most of her life caring for other people. Now it’s time for her to take care of herself, and as the winner of a year’s membership of the Cedar Court Hotel gym (offered in a recent Examiner competition) she’s hoping to end 2012 fitter, slimmer and more confident. Hilarie Stelfox went along to meet her

IT’S FAIR to say that Michelle Ward has a strong caring streak.

As a child she helped to look after her ailing grandmother, who was a diabetic.

She was only 16 when her own mum suffered a stroke so she took a year out of college – where she had begun nursing training – to take care of her.

Then her father was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease and once again Michelle adopted the role of carer.

Her husband Francis says that his wife is “amazing.”

And he too has reason to be grateful for Michelle’s caring nature.

Disabled from birth with spina bifida and hydrocephalus, Francis relies on his wife’s nursing skills and ability to successfully juggle work and family life.

Michelle, 40, even works in the caring sector. After qualifying as a general nurse and working in a surgical unit, she is now a senior training officer for the Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS trust and trains hospital health care assistants.