#NewProfilePic for August 2024
01 August 2024 - Every month, a different member of staff will be our #NewProfilePic on social media
This August, our #NewProfilePic features Ella Hamilton, a Junior Sister at the Princess Royal University Hospital (PRUH), who administers chemotherapy to patients with cancer. Ella initially joined King’s in 2019 as a newly qualified nurse and said she “instantly felt welcomed at the PRUH. King’s always seemed like a place with ample career opportunities.”
What inspired you to pursue a career in nursing, specifically in chemotherapy?
“I had always wanted to be a nurse from a young age and naturally progressed into cancer nursing after a placement in a cancer ward where I trained. Building relationships with patients has always been important to me. This is especially true when treating patients with chemotherapy as most come for treatment over a period of time. We are a nurse-led unit and provide chemotherapy and supportive treatments to both oncology and haematology patients, Monday through Friday.”
What makes your role special to you and the patients you care for?
“My role is special because of the patients I treat. Their resilience and ability to remain kind and open-hearted to the world despite facing some of the scariest periods of their lives is inspiring.”
Any special moments that you’ve experienced at work?
“Building such trusting relationships with patients during this period of their lives is incredible. It really feels like you are on a journey with them, through the highs and the lows. Nothing beats seeing a patient doing well and getting their life back after a period of not feeling their best during treatment. I still bump into people I cared for at the start of my nursing career, and it’s truly heartwarming to see them thriving.”
Is there anything interesting about your role at King’s that people may not have known?
“I’d love for people to know that although facing cancer can feel daunting, treatment is rarely like what you see on TV and in films. There are some amazing people working in cancer services at King’s, and there will always be a smiling face or a hand to hold during a very scary time.”