Christine Westhead, a dedicated Staff Nurse on the Aston Unit, shares her heartfelt experiences in nursing and her inspiring goal to raise funds for the ward as a centenary gift to the hospital.
My nursing career began in 2006, a bit later in life as I was in my 40s. By 2009, I had qualified and started working at Leighton Hospital in Elderly Medicine and Respiratory. My journey then took me to Heywood Hospital as a Respiratory NIV Nurse, and later to Bradwell Hospital, which was a wonderful place to work.
In 2016, I joined the Aston Unit at Congleton, and it has truly felt like home ever since. The team here is like a family – we support each other through thick and thin. Aston is a special place, and I can’t emphasize that enough. We strive to provide the best quality care for our patients, knowing that no one wants to be in the hospital, especially during the holidays.
This year, I’ll be working the late shift on Christmas Day, as I have done most years. I have older children, so I prefer to let colleagues with younger families have the day off. It’s a privilege to be there for patients who can’t go home, and our patients truly appreciate being on Aston.
Before becoming a nurse, I cared for my grandmother while raising three young children. My grandmother had a stroke, and although she went into a nursing home, we always brought her home for Christmas and summer, making sure she was comfortable and surrounded by family.
My passion for caring for the elderly grew from these experiences. After moving to York and then Leeds, I worked in a nursing home and later became a Radiographer’s Assistant at St James' University Hospital. When my husband’s job relocated us to Alsager, I worked as a phlebotomist which I loved doing.
With my children in high school, I decided to pursue my nursing qualification, and despite leaving school with no qualifications, I completed an access course and went to university.
Nursing has been the best decision of my life. I even had the opportunity to do my diversity training in Malawi for six weeks, which was an eye-opening experience. It made me appreciate the NHS even more. We fundraised for the trip, and I even jumped out of a plane to raise money!
With it being the centenary year, I recently ran the Delamere Trails Marathon to raise money for the ward. It was a case of putting one foot in front of the other and just getting to the finish line. Although I don’t run with a club and just run on my own, I trained really hard for it.
My family has been very supportive, and they are all very proud, knowing how important this cause is to me. Where would we be without our NHS? It was an inspiration being on the start line with so many other people running for other charities. Everyone has a story and a cause they are running for.
The hospital means so much to the people of Congleton, and I am proud to be part of this community, providing care and support to those who need it most.
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