I qualified as a Registered Mental Health Nurse in 1998 and worked in Inpatient and Community
Mental Health Services for over 25 years. During this time, I became concerned about the level of
physical health conditions and cancers that I was seeing in this population. I began to focus more on
health initiatives to address and improve the physical health needs of this patient group. As well as
setting up clinical initiatives I lead a well-attended peer support group securing funding via the
Maudsley charity which ran for 4 years. Following this I decided to pursue my BSC in clinical skills
which gave me the knowledge and skills to move forward in the Physical Health field.
In 2023 I was successful in obtaining a 1-year RMN post to support patients with mental illness and
those where barriers were preventing access to diagnosis and treatment for Lung cancer. As part of
this role I work closely with the Lung diagnostic CNS teams in GSTT, PRUH, KINGS, UHL and QEH as
well as the Thoracic Surgery and Oncology Treatment teams at Guys Cancer Centre and due to the
success of this role the post is now full time!
During my time in this role and after several discussions with my CNS colleagues and Eloise at St
Thomas Respiratory and Lung Diagnostic team I became more aware that support options for Lung
Cancer patients and their families in diagnostic and treatment pathways are extremely limited due
to long and inaccessible waiting lists for psychological and talking therapies.
We were aware that Emma & Nicky had set up the successful Everybreath Charity in Orpington.
Drawing on my experience and the known benefits of peer support, my colleague Eloise and I were
inspired to visit the group in action. Instantly we were welcomed and when we expressed our
interest in starting a similar group in Lambeth and Southwark the Everybreath charity agreed to
support us! We are building up slowly thanks to Emma and the group members who are taking their
time out to support us.
I am hugely passionate about the rewards of connecting people with others who face similar
challenges. Everybreath brings together experts by experience! This is something unique and special
and knowing that ALL of our Lung cancer patients, their families and friends have the option of
joining this community makes me feel proud !

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