Gateshead Health NHS Foundation Trust’s Breast Care Nursing Team has been commended at the recent Northern Cancer Alliance (NCA) annual awards.
The team created a six-week programme to help patients from Gateshead and Sunderland/South Tyneside with breast cancer feel supported and learn more about their illness.
This work was awarded for the work undertaken to access support, education, and guidance provided to secondary breast cancer patients, which was developed and delivered by the Specialist Breast Care Nursing Teams. It highlights the team’s outstanding contribution to enhancing care for these patients through innovative programmes and support systems.
This prestigious recognition, given to Emily Turnbull, Nealy Tate, Christine Cavanagh, and Pauline Connelly, highlights the exceptional impact their work has had on the lives of patients living with secondary breast cancer.
When the team learned they had won the award, it was an unexpected yet deeply gratifying moment. They felt really proud that the Northern Cancer Alliance noticed all the effort they had put into caring for their patients.
One of the winners from the team expressed, “It felt great to have the Northern Cancer Alliance acknowledge our hard work.”
The programme was especially for people with secondary breast cancer, which means their cancer had come back or spread to other parts of their body. Christine Cavanagh, one of the nurses, saw that many patients needed extra help, so the breast care team at Gateshead Heath worked together to create a plan. They listened to their patients and used their ideas to make sure the programme gave the support people needed.
The nurses fully understand that living with cancer can be really tough, and sometimes, patients feel lonely or worried about what might happen next. So, the team wanted to create a place where patients could meet other people going through the same thing, share advice, and learn new things to help them feel better.
After going through the programme, many patients said they felt less anxious and more knowledgeable about their condition. They also made new friends, and some even started a WhatsApp group to keep in touch and meet up regularly! For many, it made a big difference in their lives, and some even called it “life-changing.”
The team worked well together by listening, communicating, and caring. Winning the award showed how much they care about their patients and the real difference that they are making. Now, they hope that other nurses and doctors will be inspired to create new ways to help people too.
The most important thing for the team is knowing that the patients don’t feel so alone anymore. They now have a group of friends to lean on, and that’s something truly special.