Our  Paediatric Diabetes lead Nurse Sarah Schorah has received a cake from her team to mark her being a Diabetic Support Nurse for 20 years  and 31 years and counting in the NHS

She was presented with a cake topped with two photos. The black and white photo  is from her training days back in 1989  and taken outside the Nurses' Home (now the Learning Centre) at HRI. She is circled third right. Her  team colleagues,  who  care for young patients aged 0-19 presented her with a card and a present. 

Her colleague Amanda Grayson, our Patient Advocate, said: " "She fights our corner every step of the way and we all love her for it."

Amanda, who came to work for the team three years ago, has special reason too as her son is Type 1 and Sarah was actually her nurse on diagnosis eight years ago.

Amanda says: "She made me believe from day 1 type was manageable and not a life sentence. Her amazing bubbly and caring personality shines through for all our patients. She really does go over and beyond for our patients and I know that from personal experience.

"She is always laughing and smiling, approachable, and supportive. Her knowledge and experience in supporting our families is incredible. She really has a huge emotional input and supportive role from Diagnosis for all our newly diagnosed and has supported some of our families for almost 20 years. We have one patient, Jack, who she met at two years old and he is now approaching 18 and in Transition Clinic.

"We share life’s journey with our patients as we see them every three months - four times a year, plus support in school until they are 18, so you can imagine how many lives Sarah has impacted upon. We go on residential trips with them and arrange social evenings ie bowling and Sarah is always there in the middle laughing and smiling

"We have recently had a period in our team where we were understaffed and Sarah stepped forward and supported myself as Team Advocate for Calderdale. Jo my fellow Advocate in Huddersfield, Nurse Sam and our Dietician Alison to keep us all going under extreme staffing pressure.

"Thanks also to our invaluable, amazing Admin Wendy Wood, the heart of our team, in red who holds us all together."