Chesterfield nurses set to take on mountain challenge for lung cancer

The group of 12 are challenging themselves to take on the national Three Peaks Challenge to support a charity that is close to the heart of their ward.

Nurse Holly McLean said: “The team and I work on Markham Ward, which is a respiratory medicine ward caring for patients with different types of lung disease, including those with lung cancer. We support our patients and their relatives throughout their disease, whether they’re newly diagnosed, receiving treatment, or receiving palliative care. We pride ourselves on our palliative care, ensuring a difficult time is as comfortable and pain free as possible. No two days on the ward are the same. We are always facing new challenges, but we feel as a team, we can overcome anything that is thrown at us.

“As nurses, we still find that every day we learn something new regarding lung cancer, and ways in which we can support our patients. We all have our different reasons for enjoying respiratory nursing, but one thing we have in common is we thrive in a busy, fast paced, challenging environment.

“We are supporting the Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation not only for the work it does in raising awareness of lung cancer and support it gives our patients, but also for our ward matron, Vicky Turner. She lost her father to lung cancer a number of years ago and received support from Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation. She is passionate about raising awareness of the charity.

“Vicky always supports her team and is a true leader. So now it’s our turn to support her in something she is passionate about. She doesn’t know this is the reason we chose the charity so will find out when she reads this.”

The Three Peaks Challenge involves climbing the three highest peaks in Scotland, England and Wales.

Holly added: “It is a perfect opportunity for us to do something challenging and rewarding together as a team. The challenge also gives us the opportunity to raise funds and awareness for lung cancer. The team has been doing lots of practice walks and although we know it will be a hard challenge, we are excited.”