Sometimes the biggest difference we make comes from the smallest acts. Alisha Hanif works as a Nursing Associate in CRH Ophthalmic Theatres, where her warmth and compassion shapes the experience of patients and colleagues every day. Alongside her day-to-day role, Alisha is currently taking part in our 12-month Empower personal development programme, which she says has transformed her confidence.
“Before Empower, I couldn’t find myself,” she says honestly. “The programme really helped me find who I am and understand what I can achieve.”
Through Empower, Alisha came to see that kindness is not just something she gives to others but a genuine strength she brings into her work every day.
“It helped me see that kindness is my superpower,” she says.
Alisha has a natural ability to put patients at ease. She recalls supporting a patient who was extremely anxious ahead of a procedure and needed more than clinical reassurance. Alisha stayed with her throughout, holding her hand and talking her through each step. The impact was immediate and lasting.
“At the end, she just exhaled,” Alisha remembers. “She said how grateful she was and even joked that she wished she had a third eye so she could come back again, just because of the care she received.”
For Alisha, this is why emotional support and kindness matter just as much as clinical excellence.
“Most patients don’t know what to expect, and that fear is real. Being kind and emotionally supportive brings those nerves down and helps them feel safe and cared for.”
That same kindness shines through in how Alisha supports her colleagues. She believes kindness underpins a healthy working environment, especially when things are busy and stressful.
“We’re all in this together. We all want to provide amazing care, but sometimes we forget to be kind to each other and to ourselves.”
If there is one message Alisha hopes colleagues take away from her story, it is this: kindness must include yourself.
“We’re always busy being kind to others,” she says. “But we forget to be kind to ourselves.”
Her advice to anyone considering the Empower programme is simple.
“Go for it. Don’t second guess yourself,” she says. “There are tools and support there to help you grow, find yourself and achieve your goals.”
And for everyone else, her reminder is just as powerful.
“A smile, a kind word, a listening ear,” Alisha says. “Those simple things can change someone’s day. Including your own.”
