Children’s Nurses Angie Curtis and Vicky Amiss-Smith have been recognised in the first ‘WellChild Nurse Tour of Appreciation of the UK’.
The tour is a challenge taken on by ultramarathon enthusiast Andrew Gould who is cycling 3,000km to raise money for the children’s charity WellChild. Addenbrooke’s is among the 30 hospitals that Andrew will visit on his route, honouring the work of 53 WellChild nurses across the UK.
WellChild supports children with exceptional health needs to be cared for at home instead of hospital, wherever possible. WellChild Nurses play a crucial role in enabling children to leave hospital and be cared for at home, reducing the practical, emotional and financial impact for families.
CUH’s Head of Nursing for Children, Tara Llewellyn, welcomed Andrew to Cambridge as he passed through the Biomedical Campus on Friday 22 March.
We were delighted to welcome Andrew to CUH and talk to him about our amazing WellChild nurse and the dedicated support Angie offers our patients and their families, from admission to discharge. Her work makes a huge difference to patient pathways, including housing and education, to ensure patients and their families feel comfortable at home as they navigate a new way of life following a hospital stay. We are very grateful to WellChild.
Tara Llewellyn
Andrew said: “Having worked with WellChild in the past, the stories of the nurses and the families that they work with are an absolute inspiration. The skill, care and passion of the nurses is the beating heart of the charity and I want to do my bit to mark the incredible work that they do in helping children with complex medical needs to thrive.”
WellChild CEO, Matt James said: "Andrew's commitment is inspiring and we are incredibly grateful for his efforts in bringing attention to the challenges faced by seriously ill children across the UK, as well as the crucial care role that our WellChild Nurses play. People like Andrew enable us to continue our work, creating a society where children with complex medical needs can thrive, out of hospital, within their communities, and at home."
