Michelle lives in Belfast with her partner Kyle and her two sons Jake (17) and Kylan (12). Michelle always dreamt of becoming a nurse, but when she turned 17, she discovered she was pregnant with her first baby, Jake, who was born in June 2006. 

She said: “I thought this would have had a determinantal impact on my study, so I decided to go into childcare instead. By the time I was 22, I was pregnant again with my second child, Kylan, who was born in March 2011. I continued to work in childcare, always thinking about my wish to become a nurse.”  

Michelle comes from a close-knit family and her mum, Maureen and dad, Trevor, were very supportive of her and her children. “They always encouraged me to go and achieve my dream, however, in May 2012 the dreaded news came that my dad had passed away suddenly. My world came crashing down and our family was never the same.”  

Shortly after her dad passed away, Michelle decided she needed a change. She met with a careers advisor who said her first step to becoming a nurse was to gain her science and mathematics GCSEs. Michelle took up night classes and passed her exams whilst juggling work and being a busy mother to her two young boys. She then applied for a two-year access course whilst she continued to work and raise her children. After completing the two years, Michelle successfully gained a place at Queen’s University to study nursing. “I couldn't believe it; all that hard work had paid off and I was on my way to becoming a nurse.”  

Unfortunately, Michelle’s first year of university was challenging as her mum became very ill. “Mum needed extra support and I was regularly going to university and coming straight from there to care for her. She was unable to get upstairs and was declining rapidly. It was coming to the end of my first year of studying and it was all getting too much. I decided I needed a year out to look after my mum. I continued looking after mum, staying most nights with her whilst raising my boys.”  

Michelle decided to return to her nursing course the following year, passing all her exams and clinical practice. She loved being a nurse. “My favourite part of being a nurse is communicating with others, listening to their story and no matter how hard things may seem to be, I always try and put a smile on their face. It's great knowing I was a part of helping that person to get better.”  

Sadly, shortly after, her mum took a severe decline and Michelle’s mental health started to deteriorate. She decided she needed to take another year out and look after herself, her mum and her children. She returned to her final year in February 2020, just as Covid began. “Everything seemed to go crazy. Carers were still coming in to care for mum; life was a bit chaotic, but I still continued with nursing and was eager to finish my degree.  

On 27 April, Michelle received a phone call from her mum’s carers. They were concerned about her mum, and they advised she needed to go into hospital. “That evening I received a phone call from the consultant telling me that my mum was very unwell, and she only had 48 hours to live. We could not come up and see her due to Covid regulations. My world crumbled to pieces.  

“Two days later I received another phone call to say my grandmother had passed away after a long illness, and again we were unable to see her due to Covid. Mum’s nurse rang me shortly after and said mum was deteriorating fast. I explained I had just lost my grandmother and I didn't want my mum to die alone.  

“I asked if I could come up and see her at my own risk. We were given half an hour to see my mum before she passed; she was so delirious she didn't know she was dying. It was heartbreaking. She later passed that evening. I lost two of the most important people in my life in one day, and my family had two funerals in one week, one day after another.”  

Looking to the future, Michelle said: “Despite my struggles, I battled on in university to get where I am today. I am very proud of my achievements, and I know my mum, dad and granny would be so proud of me. It may have taken me seven years of studying but I am now so pleased to say I am working in my dream job as a newly qualified nurse in the Ulster Hospital.”  

Michelle will enjoy her graduation day with her partner Kyle, her sister Jodie and her two boys Jake and Kylan. “My guidance for anyone that is considering being a nurse is - do it! It was a difficult degree, but if it's what you want don't let anything get in your way. Reach out for help when you need it; speak to your friends and family for support. Keep jumping over every hurdle that tries to stop you until you get to the finish line. It will be worth it in the end.”    

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