Transforming Lives - Sharon Manning MBE

Sharon left school at 15 with no qualifications and worked as a window dresser in North Wales until she had her son and daughter. She then worked in care homes until she went to live in Prestatyn as a single parent.

In 1989 Sharon started work in Glan Clwyd Hospital as a cleaner before working as a of nursing auxiliary on the paediatric ward for 7 years. She then moved to the ENT outpatient department in 1995 and attained her NVQ Level 111 in outpatient care. Every Tuesday, Clatterbridge Oncology Centre held a satellite clinic in the ENT suite and it was while working for the Clatterbridge team that she fell in love with oncology and cancer patient care.

In 2000, Sharon applied to do her nurse training at Bangor University.

Sharon says she felt like a sponge during the three years of her course at Bangor, that she had a thirst for learning and enjoyed every moment of university life. She says that her life changed after attending university and attaining her degree. Personally, it doubled her salary which enhanced her quality of life at home, and professionally she was now a qualified nurse with the knowledge, determination and drive to make a difference to patients’ lives.

In 2004, Sharon commenced as a staff nurse on the oncology ward. She then moved to the oncology outpatient department, working alongside consultants while supporting patients through often very difficult consultations and treatment decisions.

In 2008, Sharon took on a 10-month maternity secondment post as a Lung Cancer Specialist Nurse. Here she fell in love with the role of the specialist nurse, allowing her to give quality time to patients and to build individual personalised caring relationships so that she could fully support them throughout each step of their cancer journey.

In 2011 Sharon became a Gynaecology Oncology Macmillan Specialist Nurse. The ovarian cancer patients in the palliative stage of their disease can suffer from malignant ascites (a painful build-up of fluid in the lining of the abdomen) which can often lead to needing multiple drainages and multiple hospital visits. Sharon wanted to change this service for patients and set about looking for a permanent drain and discovered a ‘Rocket Drain’.

This service is life-changing as it allows patients to drain ascitic fluid from their abdomen at home, rather than having to go to hospital to be drained. This reduces the number of hospital visits and the hours travelling to and attending the day centre for drainage. This enhances the palliative or final stages of the patient’s life, giving the patient more quality time with their loved ones at home or in their preferred place of death.

This procedure is now available across the three North Wales Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board Hospitals.

In 2017, Sharon won a MacMillan Innovation Award and MacMillan Fellowship, for pioneering the use of the Rocket Drain Service. In 2018, she was invited to Buckingham Palace, as part of the NHS 70th Anniversary celebrations and was invited to 10 Downing Street, as part of the NHS 75th Anniversary in 2023.

In 2021 Sharon was given the title of Honorary Lecturer at Bangor University and was awarded an MBE for ‘service to cancer patient care’ in the King’s New Year Honours List 2024.