‘I wanted to do more to help people’
Kenna Stalker, 34, lives in Lockerbie, Scotland with her husband Mike and three children. Walking onto campus in September 2016, I was so nervous. At 32, I was a mature student and thought everyone would be half my age, with no interest in talking to me. But I was soon to discover that age didn’t matter – we were all there for the same reason, to learn to become great nurses.
Before becoming a mum (my daughter Rhiannon was born in 2004, followed by Danni two years later) I was studying law at university. I didn’t enjoy it, so being a single mum was the perfect excuse to drop out. I started working as a carer as it was flexible around childcare, but I felt like I wanted to do more to help people.
A second chance
My mum had been a paramedic and I’d always looked up to her. I longed to do something rewarding, but I knew I’d never find time to go back to college.
Two years on, I met Mike, 47, and, in March 2011, our son Mikey was born. When I shared my ambition to become a nurse, Mike encouraged me. So, I got a bursary from the government and enrolled as a mature student at The University of the West of Scotland.
Each night when the kids sat at the table to do their homework, I’d join them. Yes, the coursework was stressful, but I was determined.
I’ve completed two years and have one more to go, then I hope to work in intensive care. Retraining hasn’t been easy, but one day, I’ll have the knowledge to save lives. I can’t think of anything more rewarding.