“It is a privilege to support residents and their families when they are at their most vulnerable, and to make sure no one feels alone.”

Daniell Davies is the Deputy Manager at SilverCrest Care in the Rhondda Valley. 

Driven by personal experience supporting her mother through cancer, 36-year-old Daniell is a passionate champion for high-quality palliative care, advance care planning, and bereavement support. Her leadership has earned her a nomination for the Excellence in Palliative & End of Life Care Award at the Wales Care Awards 2026.

We asked Daniell about what motivates her in her role, and what this nomination means to her;

Tell us a bit about your role and day-to-day work.
As Deputy Manager, I assess new residents, support families during transitions into care, and lead clinical palliative protocols. I focus on establishing clear advance care wishes early on, ensuring residents’ end-of-life preferences are respected with dignity.

I also have to have deep honest conversations with family members and I help develop RBID and ACP so end of life wishes and choices are captured.

My main role is being that person for every person or at least being able to guide them the right way 

What do you love most about your job?
My commitment to palliative care is rooted in both personal experience and professional practice.

As a young person, I put plans for university on hold after my mother received a poor prognosis following a cancer diagnosis. I instead completed an NVQ in childcare while supporting her through her illness. She died in April, and I completed the course that July; shortly after her funeral, I learned that I was expecting my son. I lost my father three years later.

These personal and professional experiences highlighted where care could be improved and motivated me to deepen my clinical knowledge and interest within the medical field. I began nurse training while continuing bank work across a range of wards, broadening my experience and confirming that my strongest interests lay in dementia and palliative care.

Helping people feel heard, supported, and empowered. In palliative care, that means taking time to understand what matters most to each person, supporting their families through grief, and ensuring final moments are peaceful and dignified.

Can you share a standout moment from your work?
Advocating for an anxious resident with complex family dynamics who had built a strong bond of trust with me – she had warmed to me and saw me as a support. When their health suddenly declined in hospital, I was able to advocate clearly for their preferences, ensuring their wishes were honoured despite difficult circumstances.

What does this nomination mean to you? 

In social care, these awards are like the Oscars! To hear my name nominated for doing work I am so deeply passionate about was incredible. I am eager to keep introducing new palliative innovations, such as memorial boxes and expanded bereavement partnerships.

“Making a difference everyday whilst meeting the needs of our residents and maintaining safety and dignity is what I love the most about my job.”

Hope Kalele is a Registered Nurse at Shire Hall Care Home (Hallmark Luxury Care Homes) in Cardiff. 

With a deeply personal connection to Shire Hall – where her late father, mother, and three brothers have all worked – 34-year-old Hope brings extraordinary clinical tenderness to end-of-life care. Her compassionate nursing has earned her a nomination for the Excellence in Palliative & End of Life Care Award at the Wales Care Awards 2026.

We asked Hope about what motivates her in her role, and what this nomination means to her;

Tell us a bit about your role and day-to-day duties.
Every day brings an opportunity to make someone feel safe, respected, cared for and valued.

As a Registered Nurse, my daily role involves assessing resident needs, managing complex medications, monitoring clinical conditions, and delivering palliative care. I work closely with multidisciplinary medical teams and provide gentle, continuous communication to families during end-of-life care.

I try to provide comfort, dignity and reassurance while supporting families through what can be an extremely emotional experience.

What do you love most about palliative nursing?
Making a difference everyday whilst meeting the needs of our residents and maintaining safety and dignity. I particularly enjoy the personal connection that comes with working in a care home. It is not just about providing clinical care, it is about making residents feel safe, respected, listened to and valued. Sometimes it can be something as simple as having a conversation, sharing a laugh or sitting with someone when they need reassurance.

The connection I have with residents, families & my team makes my job easier to manage as togetherness makes us achieve better outcomes in care.

Is there a standout moment from your work you would like to share?
One of the moments that has stayed with me most is supporting a resident and their family at the end of life. Being able to provide comfort, dignity and reassurance during such an emotional time was very meaningful to me.

Having lost my own dad to cancer, I understand how difficult it can be for families. It reminds me why I became a nurse and why being there for residents and their loved ones means so much to me. Therefore, I do follow up after the end of life to check on families and during funerals – I do make sure I attend even on my day off.

What does this nomination mean to you?
After 16 years at Shire Hall, progressing from care roles to becoming a Registered Nurse, this nomination feels like a wonderful validation of the love and hard work I put into my care every day.

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The Wales Care Awards are organised by Care Forum Wales to recognise and celebrate excellence across the social care sector in Wales.

The awards recognise individuals and organisations across a range of categories, celebrating the dedication, compassion, innovation and professionalism of those working in social care.

For further information, interviews or photographs, please contact: Rhian Richards Mobile: 07904965709 Email: rhianrelewis@gmail.com