Going to university changed my life completely

Leaving school at the age of 15 and with no qualifications, I never thought I could qualify as a nurse. 

However, after attaining my level 111 NVQ in Out-Patient Care I was extremely lucky to be accepted by Bangor University on their Adult Nurse training Diploma course. 

Within the first academic year I was offered to complete the course at degree level. The driving force for achieving my degree while being in university was my age - I would be 47 when I qualified and I felt time was against me and my career.

Attaining my degree allowed me to move from my first role as staff nurse on the inpatient ward to the position of lung cancer specialist nurse. I then further progressed to be our hospital’s first gynaecology/oncology/Macmillan specialist nurse. 

It was, absolutely my  dream job. It is within this role that I flourished and changed nursing practice, pioneering a new ‘Rocket Drain’ service for ovarian cancer patients which reduces the number of hospital visits and enhances end of life care. I’m pleased to say that this procedure is now available across the three North Wales Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board hospitals. 

This role opened doors for me within Macmillan and I was very lucky to be invited as a guest speaker at two of their Macmillan Annual Conferences. And in 2017 I won a MacMillan Innovation Award and MacMillan Fellowship, for pioneering the use of the Rocket Drain Service. 

A few years later I was given the title of Honorary Lecturer at Bangor University and in 2024 I was honoured to be awarded an MBE for ‘services to cancer patient care’ in the King’s New Year Honours List.

The opportunity for me to go to university at 43 changed my life completely. Becoming a registered nurse allowed me to make a difference to patients’ lives, to enhance their cancer journey and end of life care.

For many people, going to university can be a life-altering path that opens doors, broadens horizons, and empowers individuals to reach their full potential.

Universities Wales wants everyone in Wales to have this opportunity to reach their full potential. This is why our manifesto is calling on the next Welsh Government to establish an independent commission on participation in higher education.