What did you do before you joined us at Pharmaxo?

I’ve been at Pharmaxo for a year. Before that, I worked for the NHS on oncology wards and in chemotherapy units.

I left in 2019. I then worked for BUPA for three years as an oncology nurse advisor, talking to people on the phone.

I also carried out hospital assessments for different treatments, including CAR-T cell therapy (an immunotherapy where immune cells are taken from a patient’s body, changed so that they can recognise cancer cells, and then returned to the patient).

What drew you to joining at Pharmaxo?

I enjoyed my job at BUPA, but I realised that I missed the patient contact. At Pharmaxo Healthcare, I get to see patients every day. By providing them with treatment at home, they can remain independent and keep to their normal lives. They have more autonomy – they get the support, but they remain in control.

What keeps you going to work every day?

I enjoy the work, and being able to provide ongoing support for patients. I really like being out and about, and no two days are the same.

I’m part of a great team of nurses, and we all look out for each other. I also feel valued and appreciated by the management.

What are the current projects that you are excited about?

There’s scope for our nursing teams to expand as more NHS trusts see the value of what we do at Pharmaxo Healthcare.

What do you do outside of Pharmaxo?

In 2021, a friend moved to Cornwall and started wild swimming in her 50s. I thought ‘if she can do it, so can I!’ I started swimming in a local river, and then explored the area. I met fellow wild swimmers, and we swapped tips. I enjoyed becoming part of a community. Cold water swimming feels good – it relaxes me after a busy day, and empowers me, because I am doing something that many others couldn’t imagine ever doing.

I cold water dipped or swam every day in January this year, including a full moon dip in a friend’s outdoor cold-water tank, cooled with ice packs. I’ve also dipped in rivers or streams in my lunch hour as I’ve travelled around visiting patients, which has resulted in a few funny looks. Some days I’ve had to break the ice to do it, but as the month has gone on, I’ve found it less and less of a hardship.

My dad is 77 and has dementia. He likes outdoor swimming, but it’s been a cold winter, and he struggles with assessing risk, so it’s less safe for him to go on his own. There was a local organised swim on a lake. I kitted him out in a wetsuit. The organiser went out in a kayak to break the ice, and my dad was able to swim following the kayak. It was a brilliant day for him.

I swim in a normal swimsuit all the year round. Next winter I’m planning to take part in the Polar Bear and Penguin Challenges, and carry out a number of dips between November and March. I plan to enrol as an Extreme Penguin. This allows me to wear swimming gloves and boots, as well as a hat – the Polar Bears can only wear a normal swimsuit and a simple swimming cap.

What would you say to someone thinking of taking a job at Pharmaxo?

I’d say “Yes, take the job.” You are allowed to work autonomously, and you are trusted to get on with the job, which is a really big thing. You’ll have the opportunity to work as a close-knit team, and to learn from people more experienced than you.