The last time we had a February 29th, the world was rapidly facing up to a once-a-century collective threat. In the face of this shared catastrophe, there was always a risk of forgetting the needs of those with specific, particular and rare conditions, or combinations thereof. This Leap Day, with Covid-19 receding, though by no means gone, we owe it to ourselves as humanitarian practitioners to think all the more earnestly about how to support people with rare conditions. However experienced or qualified we are, it is the foolhardy practitioner that thinks they know all they need to know. The ..read more

Northumbria University’s remarkable achievement in winning the Times Higher Education (THE) Award for Outstanding Student Support in 2023 is a testament to its innovative approach in supporting interrupted nursing students. This prestigious recognition is not just an accolade but a reflection of the university’s commitment to nurturing future healthcare professionals. The “Supporting Interrupted Nursing Students to Return to Their BSc/MSc Programme of Study”, was a collaborative effort funded by NHS England as part of their RePAIR innovation. It involved Northumbria University and three Third ..read more

There are 2 million people in the UK living with  sight loss . This number is estimated to reach 4 million by 2050. People with sight loss will have other conditions that lead to stays in hospital, so what part can family nurses play in making the experience as pleasant as possible for blind and partially sighted people. It all starts when a patient is admitted. Their care record should flag that they have a visual impairment and what reasonable adjustments  they may require, however this cannot be relied on, so it’s best to check. 80% of people with sight-loss are over the age of 65 ..read more

Lynne Smith, Assistant Professor in Nursing, University of Northumbria National Breastfeeding Week took place from 18th to 24th September 2023. Continuing and building on last year’s theme, ‘Everyone has a part to play in helping mums to breastfeed’. The week included daily themes and activities showing how families, community, health and education services all have a part to play in supporting mothers. The role of the family nurse is integral in supporting families to continue breastfeeding for as long as they wish to do so.  This includes ensuring community services are set up to be sup ..read more

National Breastfeeding Week took place from 18th – 24th September 2023. Continuing and building on last year’s theme, ‘Everyone has a part to play in helping mums to breastfeed‘. The week included daily themes and activities showing how families, community, health and education services all have a part to play in supporting mothers.     The role of the family nurse is integral in supporting families to continue breastfeeding for as long as they wish to do so.  This includes ensuring community services are set up to be supportive of breastfeeding in public.     ..read more

Leah Rosengarten is an Assistant Professor of Children’s Nursing at Northumbria and formerly a Children and Young People’s Cancer Nurse. She is also a Trustee of Children’s Cancer North, a charity focused on improving lives for Children and Young People with Cancer. September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, an internationally recognised month focusing on raising awareness of Childhood Cancer. About Childhood Cancer Each year around 400,000 Children and Young People aged 0-19 years develop cancer worldwide (WHO, 2021). In the UK, there are around 1600 Children and Young People diagnosed ea ..read more

Beacon: for rare diseases is a UK-based charity that’s building a united rare disease community with patient groups at its heart. This year marks a decade of operation for the charity after being established as Findacure in 2012. To better reflect the charity’s values and mission, Findacure was rebranded as Beacon: for rare diseases in February 2022. Beacon is the leading UK rare disease charity that offers training to patient groups to help more form, grow and professionalise. The team fully recognises the power and potential of these often small and voluntary groups. It’s why we work tireles ..read more

Kamaljit is a Nurse Consultant in Gestational Trophoblastic Disease, an incredibly rare disease which has a profound impact on many women and their families. She has written this blog to raise awareness. Kamaljit was recently nominated for the ‘Compassion Award’ by The Mariposa Trust. The trust is a leading support charity primarily working within the field of baby loss and bereavement. They recognise health professionals who make a difference in the lives of people who have experienced baby loss. Kamaljit was awarded ‘Special Recognition’ by the charity for the work she does. Gestational Trop ..read more

As we conclude this blog series, let’s reflect on the key points covered throughout the previous blogs and unite in a call to action to raise awareness about sickle cell disease. The series of four insightful blogs successfully raised awareness about the often-overlooked Sickle Cell Disease (SCD). These blogs covered important topics including genetic inheritance, sickle cell crises, compassionate care, and education, with the aim of closing the knowledge gap and fostering understanding among a diverse audience. The blogs provided valuable information regarding the prevalence, impact, and chal ..read more

Blog 3: Sickle Cell Crisis by Debbie Omodele What words come to mind when you hear the words ‘sickle cell’? I can almost guarantee that many of you thought of the word pain amongst many. Pain is one of the most common complications of Sickle Cell Disorder (SCD).  As mentioned in blog 1 and 2, SCD affects the red blood cells therefore a painful crisis could be triggered anywhere in the body. The most common areas are the: Joints Upper and lower limbs Abdomen Back Chest A sickle cell crisis is unpredictable and as there are various triggers for a painful crisis, it is important for patien ..read more