For Neurodiversity Celebration Week, we are celebrating the voices and experiences that help shape the services we provide for children, young people and families.

My journey hasn’t been as straightforward as most. I live with multiple long-term health conditions, including dystonia, Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (a genetic connective tissue disorder), scoliosis (a curved spine), and the after-effects of cancer. These challenges have made my career and life more complicated at times, but they’ve also shaped who I am as a nurse and as a person.

I am an Occupational Therapist, and my Carer’s Champion role sits alongside my clinical practice. The Carer’s Champion role is open to anyone within the team, both clinical and non-clinical staff. We’ve been supported in developing this role by Tarek Seeraullee, Havering Carers Lead for NELFT, whose expertise, advocacy for carers’ rights, and ongoing guidance have been invaluable.

The launch of the Relational Care Faculty in November last year has sparked conversations about how we can build compassionate mental health systems, and how we can make sure they are a key part of our day-to-day practice, both in the way we interact with our staff and our patients.