Ipswich Hospital’s teenage and young adult cancer nurse specialist is now able to access extra training and funding to further improve care thanks to a new partnership with Teenage Cancer Trust.
Dan Jolley’s nursing role has been adopted by the charity, giving him access to additional resources, advice and education while opening up a wider national network of nurses with which to share best practice. It will also help him to build even stronger links with colleagues at Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge, which whom he already works closely, to further draw on their expertise to improve care.
“I work with 16 to 24-year-olds with any type of cancer, and am there to help make sure they get the best care and support possible,” said Dan, who also works as a lung cancer nurse specialist. “I’m not there to replace their clinical nurse specialist – my role adds additional layers of support.
“It’s an interesting job as its part social support and signposting, part youth worker and part nurse. I aim to see the patient as early as possible after their diagnosis and offer a point of contact throughout their treatment and into recovery to provide additional support and help resolve any issues they may be facing.
“This can include help with their reaction to treatment, which can be challenging for this patient group, or going into schools to talk to their teachers or resolving family difficulties, depending on their individual needs. I also work closely with the paediatric team to support patients who are transitioning into adult services, as it can be very difficult the first time they are admitted to an adult ward after previously spending time in paediatric services.”
Dan also organises social activities for patients, including visits to the Life House Spa and Hotel in Essex, which has offered free use of its facilities to patients and their loved ones so that they can relax, chat about any challenges they are facing and offer mutual support. He hopes that by working with not just the Teenage Cancer Trust, but also other charities such as CLIC Sargent and Macmillan, he may be able to offer additional activities in the future.
Dan Jolley (left) with (from front) Debbie Adams, Teenage Cancer Trust regional services manager, Macmillan support worker Julie Finbow and Hannah Parr, Teenage Cancer Trust regional operations and partnerships manager.
He added: “These charities all provide different things for the same patient group, so it makes sense to work with as many of them as possible to make sure our patients get the best support.”
Dan, who remains an ESNEFT employee, will take on the Great East Run in Ipswich on 22 September to raise money for the Teenage Cancer Trust.
Back to top