I started my general nurse training at Canterbury Christchurch University in 1996 and went on to specialise in cancer care in 1998. I did my post-registration training at The Royal Marsden Hospital. And later on I studied at City University London to become a specialist breast cancer nurse.
When I qualified, I took on various chemotherapy administration roles in East Kent Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and The Christie NHS Foundation Trust. I was also a nurse manager for haematology day services and led the opening of a new chemotherapy unit at Kings College Hospital.
Later, I returned to East Kent Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and went back to school. I did a master’s degree in advanced Nursing Practice to take myself from a breast cancer clinical nurse specialist to a nurse consultant. I was the first nurse in the Trust to be a clinical lead for breast services.
At Breast Cancer Now, I use my experience to explore innovative ways to support patients with breast cancer, provide leadership to our nursing team, and develop the clinical aspects of our services and our health information.
I’m passionate about working at Breast Cancer Now because no one day is the same. There are so many ways we can use our clinical knowledge and experience to support all areas of our work as a charity. And improve the lives of those affected by breast cancer.