‘HAVING CANCER INSPIRED ME TO BECOME A NURSE’
AMUM-OF-TWO diagnosed with stage three breast cancer says the experience has given her the confidence to change her life for the better.
Emma Hughes, 36, from Blackwood, Caerphilly, left school aged 16 with no qualifications but her brush with death and the care she received encouraged her to train to be a nurse.
After leaving school, Emma said she drifted into a call centre job “with no real aspirations” before getting married. Then in 2019 everything changed when she found a lump on her breast.
She was shocked to be diagnosed with stage three breast cancer. A healthy non-smoker, she went to the GP not expecting the small lump she had noticed to be the worst possible news.
Within weeks she was having surgery and chemotherapy.
During the pandemic, Emma underwent a double mastectomy alone in hospital without her husband Ieuan or other visitors for support.
She had a hysterectomy, which plunged her into early onset menopause and had so many surgeries and medications she’s lost count.
Meanwhile, she was worried about her younger son, Bailey, 13, who has special needs and is nonverbal.
It was “a tough time” but Emma said spending so much time in hospital inspired her to want to become a nurse. She knew with no qualifications it would be hard.
She took voluntary redundancy during her recovery and joined Coleg y Cymoedd for a skills for further study course. There, she noticed an advert for the college’s access to university course.
“I had a lack of direction when I was younger, didn’t know what I wanted to do and had no GCSEs. Now I wanted to re-evaluate my life because of cancer.
“I’d spent a lot of time in hospital and was so inspired by the nurses, the care I received and the job they did. Because of that experience and my experience caring for my younger son, I wanted to become a disability nurse.”
During her two years on the foundation course, Emma underwent more surgery and chemotherapy, but was determined not to give up.
“In 2020 I was in hospital during the Covid pandemic and not having any visitors. I walked into having a double mastectomy alone because of the Covid pandemic.
“I realised if I could do that I could become a mature student. I have reassessed my life. It’s a cliche but it was the case that a brush with death made me reassess my life after cancer diagnosis.”
Emma said her family have been “a fantastic support”.
When the foundation course ended last September, she immediately began a disability nursing degree course at the University of South Wales in Pontypridd.
“The course is so hard but I feel so much more well equipped coming from the access course. I am 36 now and managing at university.
“This definitely would not have happened without cancer. Without cancer I would still be plodding away. I would say I believe in myself a lot more now. I would never have had the confidence to step back into education if I had not been faced with what I faced.
“I am so lucky to have made a recovery and decided I was not going to waste another moment on self doubt.”
Emma said Bailey’s diagnosis with learning disability, autism and ADHD gave her resilience to be a parent to a non-verbal child with additional needs and her experience of breast cancer gave her determination and confidence to train as a nurse.
“When I look back on the last four years since my diagnosis, I know I am not the same person. I have purpose and direction.
“My cancer was stage three and had spread to my lymph nodes but I have had the all-clear now. I have exams around the corner and am doing well.
“While I was going through all my medical procedures, I imagined how difficult it would be for people with disabilities, like my son, who is non-verbal, to go through something like that. The reality is that people with such issues tend to have less favourable outcomes when it comes to illnesses due to the communication barriers they face.
“Knowing first-hand how difficult it would be for my child made me determined to become a learning disability nurse myself, so that I could help.”
She added: “After just two years in college, I’ve gone from having zero qualifications to having a diploma with 39 distinctions and a place at university, somewhere I never thought I’d go. I would recommend anyone else who is thinking about doing an access course to just do it.”
Emma has completed her first placement as a learning disability nurse and loved it. She said: “I can’t believe I’m working towards my dream career and have to pinch myself sometimes. I feel like I have a lot to offer the industry from my personal experiences and can’t wait to get stuck in.”
Emma received the Outstanding Commitment to Study award at this year’s Agored Cymru Access to Higher Education Learner of the Year awards.