We're all Therapeutic Radiographers, a professional title which is usually met with a blank stare when you tell people that's what you do. Here comes the careers info: Radiographers are split into two separate professions linked by commonalities, like working with radiation, but substantially different otherwise. Diagnostic radiographers are the people you will have met if you've ever had an X-ray or a scan of any sort. They're trained to use a range of imaging modalities to assist in the diagnosis and ongoing assessment of illnesses and also in happier situations like Ultrasound scans in pregnancy. Therapeutic radiographers are trained to plan and deliver Radiotherapy, using high energy X-rays mostly to treat cancer, although we occasionally treat non-malignant conditions. If you're filled with a desire to become a radiographer have a look at these websites:
http://www.sor.org/about-radiography
http://www.nhscareers.nhs.uk/explore-by-career/allied-health-professions/careers-in-the-allied-health-professions/radiographer/
Angela and Flora have been qualified radiographers for longer than I have and have worked in radiotherapy in the U.K. and overseas. They both worked in the Radiotherapy Department at Clatterbridge Cancer Centre, which until recently was known as Clatterbridge Centre for Oncology and prior to 1992 was Mersey Regional Centre for Radiotherapy and Oncology. After successful clinical careers, both now work as lecturers in Radiotherapy at the University of Liverpool. They both live on the Wirral and continue to have ties with CCC as a third of Liverpool University's Radiotherapy students train at CCC and Liverpool University also offer degree and masters level module in association with CCC ( http://www.liv.ac.uk/health-sciences/ )
I'm a lot less exciting than Flora and Angela. Not only have I never worked overseas, I'm so geographically static, I was actually born at Clatterbridge Hospital. It's true! Maybe you're getting a picture about why I think a desert trek in Jordan is such a thrilling prospect? Anyway, I did manage to move off the Wirral for 4 years of my life and during that time I bombed out of a Business Studies degree and saw radiotherapy advertised in the job centre in Huddersfield. I applied to the School of Radiotherapy at Cookridge Hospital in Leeds and, for goodness knows what reason, they let me on to their course. I ran into grant problems in the 2nd year and transferred to Clatterbridge for the last year of my training because I could then live with my Mum and Dad in Bebington and would be able to afford to finish my training. I was very lucky to have Angela as my Clinical Tutor when I arrived at Clatterbridge and after a final year of training I qualified as a radiographer in 1992. Apart from a year's secondment when i worked at a large district general in the Liverpool area as a Research Practitioner, I've worked at Clatterbridge ever since. In 2005 I got the job of Clinical Tutor and have acted as line manager, clinical teacher and general mopper up for the Liverpool University Undergraduate Radiographers on clinical placement at CCC from thereon.
I'm not sure about Flora but I know that Angela and I (like an awful lot of people) have both experienced loved ones being diagnosed with and treated for cancer. Some of the care they received has been delivered by a variety of departments at CCC and I think it's true to say all 3 of us feel passionately that the care given to cancer patients at CCC should be as good as the best available in the U.K. and elsewhere in the world. My Dad was unfortunate enough to be diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2004, which was treated with radiotherapy at CCC in 2005, following 6 months of hormone treatment. This seemed to go well, but unfortunately he was diagnosed with a new primary tumour in his bowel in 2006. This was quite advanced when diagnosed and aggressive, despite the best efforts of those looking after him, Dad died as a result of the bowel tumour in March 2007. His palliative care was delivered by St John's Hospice in Bebington ( http://www.wirralhospice.org/ ) which is another amazing cancer care organisation, which we were immensely grateful to in the last few weeks of Dad's life.
So against that background all 3 of us are really excited to be raising money for Clatterbridge Cancer Charity and fully support their work to 'offer the most up to date treatment, support vital research, treat our patients with world class equipment and provide life-changing support services that would otherwise be unavailable' ( http://www.clatterbridgecc.org.uk/ )
We've all continued with our training schedules and Flora has trekked up the Great Orme in Llandudno this weekend:
The view on my walk this morning was slightly less picturesque!
I consoled myself with the thought that slipping and sliding through a load of mud was good for my core stability :)
Not that much like a desert though!
I was very brave and went to spinning again on Friday as my bottom felt pretty much recovered from the last session. This time it was a different teacher and she had a 'whole body exercise' approach to the whole pedalling like a mad thing training session. She got us going pedalling away on our static bikes and then introduced CHEST PRESSES. Yes, you heard me right!!!! For anyone who hasn't experienced the delights of spinning, picture this scene: You're 11 years old and furiously pedalling along on your BMX. I have no idea what this would feel like as I never had a BMX, I was deprived! Although, thinking about it, it was Choppers that were the height of fashion when I was a kid. I didn't have one of those either, see what I mean about being deprived? I had a proper girl's Raleigh Shopper type bike with a basket on the front. How could I have got my cookery ingredients to school on a Chopper for goodness sake!?!?! Anyway, I digress. So you're going like the clappers, standing up, pedalling uphill on your BMX and you suddenly decide it would be a great idea to start lunging, like a woodpecker on steroids, over your handlebars whilst continuing to pedal. The entire class was doing this, it was the strangest sight and all this time the instructor was at the front shouting and throwing her arms around like a conductor in an asylum! I was watching them with amazed fascination as there was NO way I'm fit enough to pedal and impersonate a woodpecker at the same time. Obviously I'll be going back next week, who wouldn't?!?!?
Hopefully next Friday's session won't leave me too physically disadvantaged on Sunday as I'm 'running' in the Bunny fun run on Llandudno pier which is in aid of St David's Hospice. My lovely colleague Moyra, who is a nurse lecturer in Clinical Education at CCC, invited me to join her as she's been a supporter of St Davids Hospice for a number of years. I thought I'd make a personal donation and use it as one of my targets for my training. Unfortunately I haven't got to grips with the whole 'running' thing as much as I'd hoped so I think I will run some of it, but there'll be a fair amount of walking and gasping for breath going on! However, they give you bunny ears to wear so YAY!!!!! I will, of course, supply photos of the aforementioned bunny ears and 'running' combo next Sunday.
As well as posting the usual thrilling training related photos, next week I'll tell you a bit more about the history of Clatterbridge Cancer Centre.
TTFN, Pauline.
p.s. I forgot to say a big thanks to my lovely family for their Mother's day present of a donation to my fundraising :)
No comments:
Post a Comment