"I work as one of the deputy chemotherapy sisters in the chemotherapy unit at York Hospital, and on our mobile chemotherapy unit which travels to various destinations around North Yorkshire.

"It is rather clichéd to say it, but I always wanted to be a nurse. I trained at York Hospital back in the 90’s, then left for many years, coming back seven years ago - so I have come full circle.  Nursing has given me lots of opportunities to work in lots of different settings and places, including abroad.

"I started my career in nursing patients with cancer when I went to work at the Royal Marsden in London. I had found the sort of nursing I wanted to do. When I tell people where I work, they often reply with “oh that must be so sad or so hard”. It can be, but most of the time it is a very positive and rewarding place to work. I work with a fantastic team of nurses, doctors, healthcare assistants, chemo co-ordinators and admin staff, who all work really hard to make our units a friendly and supportive place for patients to come.

"A lot of the positivity comes from the patients themselves, their determination and humour in dealing with their illness is very inspirational, and spurs you on to do the best you can for them.  Patients often tell us how much they will miss us when their treatment finishes, but not the treatment!

"There have been many changes in cancer care with more access to better drugs and better management of the side effects they cause. Since I first started my career in cancer care a lot has changed. Some chemotherapy came in glass bottles and I can remember bandaging ice-packs to a lady’s head, to try and preserve her hair. We have much safer ways of delivering chemotherapy these days and we use scalp coolers, a much more high tech and effective way of trying to preserve some ones hair! The most perceptible change is that patients are living longer and more importantly are living well and better with the disease.

"One of the biggest changes in the delivery of care recently has been the mobile chemotherapy unit, which was funded by York Against Cancer.  We go out to Scarborough, Bridlington, Malton and Selby. This means that patients don’t have to travel as far for their treatment and they love it.

"I have always been very proud to say that I work for the NHS. I know it’s not perfect and we have faced and will face many challenges, but I think it is the most amazing organisation. There are not many institutions that, whoever or whatever you are, will invite you in and do their best for you. Access to healthcare is a fundamental human right and we must do what we can to protect it and carry on all the fantastic work that does go on right across the NHS.