Name: Chantelle Dawson
Job Title: Deputy Sister
NHS Trust: United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust
MCCU Name – ‘Elaine’
Chantelle qualified in nursing in 2014 and began working in an on-site oncology/haematology ward, where she was based until 2018. Chantelle now has the day-to-day responsibility for nursing on board ‘Elaine’, our Lincolnshire Mobile Cancer Care Unit (MCCU).
Chantelle sees first-hand the difference an MCCU makes to the patients and the community it serves, and describes her move to the MCCU as “the highlight of my career”.
“The reason our MCCU is so great is that it allows us to support people locally. This means that patients do not have to travel as far for their vital treatment, with some people even choosing to walk to the unit. This is a real benefit to a lot of our patients as it decreases their travel time whilst potentially suffering pain and nausea from their treatment. I’ve also found that because this is a local service our patients get to know each other and their nursing team and then visiting the unit for treatment feels more like meeting up with friends.”
Chantelle explains how nursing on board an MCCU changes patients’ lives.
“Because patients see the same faces week after week, we develop a real trust with them and a truly therapeutic relationship. Many patients have found the setting to be relaxing and they benefit from emotional support and advice as well receiving the same excellent treatment they would on a chemotherapy suite.”
‘I’m just so proud to be able to nurse on board the MCCU, every trust should have one, they really do change people’s lives.”
