'Nurses who cared for me inspired my career'

A woman who was diagnosed with Graves' disease as a child has begun a career as a children's nurse, after being inspired by the nurses who cared for her.

Sehanaj Kaur was diagnosed with the autoimmune thyroid condition at the age of three, which resulted in rapid growth, a bulging eye and episodes of collapsing, linked to its effects on heart rate and metabolism.

Inspired by the care she received from hospital staff as a child, Kaur decided to pursue a career in nursing and now works at University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire (UHCW) NHS Trust.

"I can understand what these children are going through because I've been there," she said.

Kaur, who said she wanted to become a nurse at the age of eight, said the nurses who cared for her were "unsung heroes" and showed her kindness and patience.

"My parents couldn't always be there and it was the nurses who stayed with me, listened to me, comforted me and helped me feel safe," she said.

"They'd take me to the playroom in the middle of the night and made me feel cared for, never like a burden."

Kaur, who grew up in Kent before later moving to Coventry, was also diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in her 20s, alongside Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and ADHD -experiences which affected her education and grades in school.

She said university and nursing had allowed her to thrive.

"I wasn't very good at school, but that didn't mean I wasn't capable, I just needed the right environment and support," she added.

"University was different. My lecturers really listened to me and believed in me, especially when I doubted myself."

Now working as a qualified nurse, after working as a nursery nurse and in retail, she said achieving her childhood ambition still felt surreal.

"That eight‑year‑old who decided she wanted to be a children's nurse - she made it. I did it. And every day I put my uniform on, I'm reminded why I wanted this so badly," she said.

"Nursing to me is about selfless service. If I can make even one moment easier for a child or their family, that's a job well done and that's why I'm proud to be a nurse."

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