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An inspirational Macmillan nurse, Sharon has won several awards and commendations for her innovative and compassionate approach towards end of life cancer care.��

She will share her nursing story and professional experience with undergraduate students on the three-year, Adult Nursing BN course, as well as with postgraduate nurses.

Speaking about this honorary role at �鶹��ý�����, Sharon, said:
“I am really excited and grateful for this opportunity from �鶹��ý�����, especially as it is where I studied for my nursing degree. My aim is simply to inspire student nurses to be open to innovation and change. I want the students to touch or speak to patients like they would want themselves or their loved ones to be spoken to or touched.”

Sharon, who is originally from Lancashire, has worked for the NHS in Wales for more than 30 years. In 1989, after becoming a single parent, Sharon moved to north Wales, determined to make a fresh start with her life. Her first role on the hospital wards was working as a cleaner at Glan Clwyd Hospital.

Speaking about her first job, Sharon, said: “In the departments where I would clean, I would also observe qualified and student nurses working. It made me think ‘Wow, I would give my right arm to have that opportunity!’ However, I never thought I could achieve it as I left school at 15 with no qualifications.”

Sharon decided that to develop a career she needed to gain qualifications, so her next step was to become a nursing auxiliary. She successfully achieved this, working in paediatrics for four years before gaining a NVQ Level 3 in Healthcare Studies.��

When Sharon started working in Glan Clwyd Hospital, patients in north Wales did not have a cancer centre. Patients had to travel to the Clatterbridge Cancer Centre in Liverpool or the Christie Hospital in Manchester for cancer treatments.��

In 1994, the Clatterbridge Centre began to hold a weekly outpatient clinic at Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board but the multi-disciplinary team had no nursing auxiliary. Sharon spotted an opportunity and joined the team. It was from this point that Sharon’s focus on providing the best possible care for people living with cancer began. It was also when Sharon decided to become a registered nurse (RN).��

One day at a meeting Sharon was told by a registered nurse in the team that her opinions were not needed. Immediately after the meeting, Sharon went to the School of Nursing in Bangor to find out how to enrol so that she too could become a registered nurse.��

Sharon was accepted to study Adult Nursing at �鶹��ý�����. Speaking about her decision to pursue a nursing career in her 40s, Sharon, said:

“I qualified as a nurse in 2004 when I was 47. I always knew my nursing career would be short. I trained late, but that didn’t matter to me. I knew I definitely wanted to make a difference to the quality of care patients received.”

In 2017, Sharon received three prestigious awards in recognition of her innovative work. Some ovarian cancer patients in the palliative care stage of their disease can develop malignant ascites, which is a painful build-up of fluid in the lining of the abdomen. Sharon set about introducing permanent catheters for palliative ovarian cancer patients – a life-changing service that allows patients to drain the ascitic fluid from their abdomen at home, rather than having to go to hospital to be drained. This approach reduced the number of hospital visits undertaken during the final stages of the patient’s life and gives the patient more time with their loved ones.

Speaking about her nursing career as a Macmillan professional, Sharon said:

“I am very proud to carry the Macmillan title in my role. The Macmillan name is very well respected. Patients, relatives, and members of the public expect the best form you and they should receive nothing less.��

“My patient and I have previously promoted Macmillan successfully. My patient and her husband shared their cancer story and spoke about how I, as a Macmillan professional had supported them both. Our story was made into a booklet and sent to the public asking for donations. We raised £430,000! What a wonderful legacy my patient left for her family.

“When I reflect on my work, I feel extremely privileged. I have looked, and currently look after some beautiful ladies along their cancer journey. I am frequently humbled by their bravery and resilience. The true heroes are these ladies who face their cancer diagnosis with such courage and dignity.”��

Talking about her current CNS role, Sharon said:” More than ever before as key workers we now concentrate on the patient’s individual wellbeing. One of my roles is to psychologically support the patient, their family or carer from diagnosis, through treatment, disease recurrence, palliation and those patients living on with their cancer. I am there to help enable them to carry on their life, knowing that if they need me, they can call me.”��

��“I am 64 now and intend to work in this post for the next two years. I never stop looking and asking can we do things differently to enhance patient care and I will go on doing that until I retire.”