‘EXCEPTIONAL’ HEALTH WORKER DOROTHEA
PASSION FOR NURSING WHICH STARTED AS A CHILD
A much-loved Sunderland nurse is in the running for an award after a fantastic 49 years in health care.
A string of nominations – about a dozen of them – have been submitted for Dorothea Low who has been nominated for a Best of Wearside trophy.
One nominee said; “An exceptional person with the ability to see good in everyone.”
“Extremely dedicated,” said another. “An amazing nurse with unique qualities, said a third”.
For Dorothea, it’s a “fantastic” honour just to have been nominated, she said as she looked back on a lifetime of care.
“I have never wanted to do anything else,” she admitted. “I just felt it was in my blood.”
Her love of healthcare began, she believes, when she was a child and used to watch the hustle and bustle of hospitals while she waited as her sister was treated for eye problems.
Her own career began 1969 when she completed a pre-nursing college course and apprenticeship as a cadet nurse.
She spent the next three years training as a State Registered Nurse at the then Sunderland General Hospital.
She secured her first Sister’s post in the operating theatres at the newly-redeveloped Sunderland Royal Hospital.
Then, she realised her dream of seeing the world when she served as a civilian nurse in the British Army and went to Oman.
She returned to her hometown when her first child was born and worked in health centre treatment rooms across Sunderland. After that, her role changed down the years including working for the recovery at home team.
She now works for the Sunderland and South Tyneside Primary Care Trust from a base at Leechmere Industrial Estate, but one thing never changes – her love for the job.
She admitted: “I would do it all again. I never wanted to do anything else. From as early as I can remember, I wanted to be a nurse.
“To me, the biggest thing that stands out is the patients.
“It is seeing people get well and seeing people come out the other end and everything is alright.”
People stop her in the street to pass on their thanks for the care she gave to loved ones.
Dorothea admitted: “The whole job is a rollercoaster and it is life-changing for some people and career changing for me.
“If I won an award I would be elated, but it is nice just to be nominated. It is such a privilege. Winning would be the icing on the cake.”
Winning would also mean the Trust would be highlighted and so would the “dynamic team that I work in, not just me,” added Dorothea.
And it would be a chance