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Jessie May celebrates International Nurses Day
Jessie May is a South West charity, headquartered in Bristol, that provides specialist nursing care for terminally ill children in their homes.
The charity is celebrating International Nurses Day this year by placing a spotlight on some of their many nurses who provide care and joy to children across Bristol, South Gloucestershire, North Somerset, Wiltshire, Bath and North East Somerset.
One of these nurses is Mary, based in Swindon, who has been supporting 15-year-old Hope – who is nonverbal and uses assistive technology to communicate – for the past seven years.
is needed now More than ever
“We’ve watched her grow up,” Mary explained. “We’ve been with them since the beginning of Jessie May in Swindon and we’ve been there for some really major life events.
“Hope’s mum is very independent and capable. It took a while for her to really get used to us.
“But now, I feel we are trusted. And that means everything.”
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Mary has worked at Jessie May for years and while she acknowledged there have been “tough days” on the job, “especially when a child dies”, she said they are outnumbered by positive ones.
She explained: “People often assume my job must be really sad. But that’s not how I’d describe it.
“It’s full of life.
“We can’t change the outcomes for these families. But if we can make a difference – if
we can make the journey a little easier – then that’s a good thing.”
International Nurses Day is marked globally each year on May 12, the birthday of Florence Nightingale, one of the most famous nurses in history.
Main photo: Jessie May
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