Sponsor a Nurse

“Hi, my name is Ruth and I’m an Occupational Therapist working in the Sunflower Centre at St Margaret’s. I’m part of the team running our new neurological support group.

“I’ve always enjoyed working in palliative and end-of-life care – both personal and professional experiences have shown me how important this work is. What I love most about St Margaret’s in particular is the people. Everyone here is so caring, compassionate, and friendly. It’s the first place I have worked where everyone genuinely wants to be here.

“I also love meeting our patients. Each is facing their own challenges, yet they still bring so much positivity. One of the most touching things a patient has said to me is: ‘To be heard and seen is joyous.’ It means a great deal to me to know that I can play a part in making such a difference in people’s lives.”

“Hi, my name is Claire, I’m a Junior Sister on the In-Patient Unit (IPU) in Taunton. I am responsible for the day to day running of the ward, supporting the IPU team, coordinating patient admissions and discharges, and working alongside Clinical Governance to maintain high standards of patient care. I also work a shift on the ward every week, which I love – closely caring for the patients and their loved ones.

“I have nursing background in acute, high dependency care, where I supported patients and their loved ones once medical treatments were no longer helping the patient get better. Working closely on a respiratory ward during the Covid pandemic strengthened my desire to provide holistic, high-quality care for those with a life-limiting illness.”

“Hi, my name is Ralph and I’m a Community Nurse at St Margaret’s. I’ve wanted to be a nurse for as long as I can remember, and over the years my interest in palliative and end-of-life care has only grown. My first nursing manager was a Marie Curie nurse by background, and she instilled in me the values of treating people with dignity and respect at every stage of life, and of truly listening to and respecting their wishes.

“What I enjoy the most about working at St Margaret’s is the variety. We care for people with all kinds of life-limiting illnesses – not just cancer – and every day brings the opportunity to learn something new. I also love the way my team works together to make sure that all our patients, no matter where they live, receives expert care and attention.

“One of the nicest moments in my role is when a patient is genuinely happy to see me, even when they know I’m probably going to be talking about death and dying. It’s a reminder that building trust and human connection matters just as much as the medical care we provide.”