Ruth returns to help fight virus
RUTH STAFFERTON, who lives in Formby, has spent the past six years working as a senior research nurse for Cancer Research UK.
Her role involves community engagement work all over Merseyside, including spreading the message on the importance of early detection and screening programmes. Ruth also recruits patients to take part in research studies.
The 46-year-old has now returned to the
NHS to work at The Royal Liverpool University Hospital during the crisis.
Mum-of-one Ruth is already back on the busy wards and is part of the “nursing task squad” deployed to a different hospital department each day depending on where there is most need.
She has been fully kitted out in PPE and spent part of a shift caring for Covid-19 patients since returning.
She said that she felt she needed to do her bit to help her nursing colleagues facing unprecedented pressure.
She said: “My colleagues in the hospital are doing an amazing job. It was daunting to join them at such a busy time, but everyone has made me feel so welcome.
“At Cancer Research UK we want to support our colleagues in the NHS to help eradicate Coivd-19 now so that we can then concentrate our energies on the fight against cancer once this is all over.”
Jane Bullock, Cancer Research UK spokeswoman for the North West, said: “We are proud of all our nurses, doctors and scientists, some of the best in the world, who are turning their focus to Covid-19 during this global pandemic.
“They are providing desperately needed capacity at a time of national crisis.
“We need to beat the pandemic together. The sooner we do that the sooner our talented team can get back to beating cancer.
“If anyone affected by cancer is worried about the impact of Covid-19, there is more information on our website.”