A NORTH Yorkshire woman who was once so scared of hospitals she felt sick as soon as she entered one is training to become a nurse herself.

Samantha Heeney had a major operation to correct a spinal deformity in her back, the care she received inspired her to train to become a nurse.

The Northern Echo:

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She said: "The care I received at James Cook is 100% what inspired me to become a nurse.

“I remember I was already looking at healthcare courses during the car journey home post op. The paediatric intensive care unit and ward 22 gave me an amazing patient experience and I wanted to pass the same level of compassion onto other people.”

She has also said that the operation helped her mentally and physically.

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She added: “There was an obvious deformity so I used to wear baggy clothes that covered my body and back brace, but now my self-image has improved drastically and I’m confident enough to wear whatever I like due to being nice and straight. It’s taught me a lot about resilience and made me more grateful."

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