Professor The Baroness Finlay, of Llandaff, has won a top award for her outstanding work with Shalom House Trust of which she is patron. The presentation at the 2007 ePolitix Charity Champion Award ceremony last Wednesday was hosted by Esther Rantzen. In the audience was Margaret Burnett, founder of Shalom House in St. Davids, who had nominated her for the award. Professor Finlay recently officially opened Shalom House - the first palliative care respite/daycare centre in Pembrokeshire. Margaret had invited her to become patron of Shalom 12 years ago. "Since then she has actively, personally and professionally supported us. She has been an inspiration to the Shalom management team, Shalom supporters and fundraisers," said Margaret. Professor of palliative medicine, Cardiff University and Velindre Hospital, Baroness Finlay has worked with Marie Curie Cancer Care since 1987. She has published and lectured widely on palliative care and has researched into aspects of cancer palliative care. "She is someone who lives and breathes palliative care. She undertakes outpatients, ward rounds, and is on-call at weekends, so we know that she is very much in touch with the needs of patients and their families and she has a special rapport with them," said Margaret. "That is why we asked Professor Finlay to be our patron. We wanted and needed someone to help us care for patients, families and staff in a place where patients will be safe and secure and receive the very best of professional palliative care. At Shalom, we want to treat the 'whole person', not just the disease, and help them to have the very best quality of life and make the best of the very valuable gifts they still have to offer." Professor Finlay also showed Margaret around the House of Lords and the House of Commons.