Throughout advent, we're highlighting those who work hard throughout the year - and at Christmas - to keep Norfolk and Waveney's health service ticking over.

This countdown of those we count on will focus on a different person or individual every day up until Christmas, celebrating our healthcare heroes.

Paula Mellor, neonatal intensive care unit senior sister at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital

'I started working at the trust in 1993 when I started my post registration midwifery training. After successfully completing my training I started working on NICU in Sept 1994 and have been here ever since,' Paula said.

'As a small child I spent a lot of time in hospital visiting my older brother and always felt comfortable in that environment. My older cousins were also nurses at the hospital and from an early age I knew it was what I wanted to do.

'I co-ordinate and deliver care to the smallest and most fragile patients and what makes this environment special is the fact that we are not just caring for the baby but the whole family unit. I work as part of an amazing team who are here to support parents through the transition to parenthood in what can be the most difficult and stressful of environments.

'As a team, we see the difference we make to the families we care for. The reward of seeing babies go home with their families is hard to beat.'

• To read about other holiday health heroes, click on a door on the advent calendar above.