Today marks the 100th anniversary of the birth of Sue Ryder. The late Lady Ryder, Sue Ryder, was a British volunteer in the Special Operations Executive in the Second World War who afterwards established charitable organisations, notably the Sue Ryder Foundation. She set up the Lady Ryder of Warsaw Memorial Trust shortly before her death in 2000 so that her work caring for disabled and disadvantaged people would continue, including supporting people with disabilities in going to Lourdes.

This year we received funding from the Trust which supported two student nurses from the North East of England who travelled with HCPT at Easter as part of their student placement. This initiative not only benefited the aspiring nurses but also all the young people who were in their care over the week.

Zoe, one of the student nurses, shares her experience of Lourdes with HCPT thanks to the Lady Ryder Trust:

"My experience in Lourdes was life-changing in so many ways. Not only did I develop so much as a student nurse, but I also feel like I have grown so much as an individual. Working with children throughout this week has given me the skills to be able to communicate the needs of these children and adapt care to suit their personal needs. As we had responsibility for these children 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, we saw the full picture of caring for a child with additional needs and how they adapt their lives and use different strategies, such as pictures and symbols, to communicate. We also had to help with personal care needs such as washing, dressing, and toileting, and on ward placement; the parents usually take the lead with this. I built some amazing bonds with the children, and I was even lucky enough to watch one girl receive her First Holy Communion, which was amazing, but also so rewarding knowing that we had built up that trusting relationship to "let her light shine" and be brave, which she totally was. Friendships were formed within my group, and the support from the group nurses was just phenomenal, and I can't begin to thank them enough. I was always told I would come back with the Lourdes bug and would want to return next year, and it's true, I can't wait for 2025!

"I feel as though I have learned so much about working with and communicating, particularly with children with autism and other additional needs, which has given me the skills I need to apply straight away when starting a new placement. I feel like I have become more compassionate when working with families and really understanding the issues they can face when having children with complex needs. I have also been able to really learn when to trust your gut feeling when you know a child is not well, which unfortunately was a situation we found ourselves in during the trip. We were, however, able to seek the correct help, and the situation was resolved. This will be so beneficial when I become a qualified nurse, as I will be able to make that clinical judgement when it's appropriate. I was fully accountable for these children, ensuring they were given regular medication, eating and drinking, feeling happy, and making them aware that there is always someone to talk to. As a nurse, being accountable means acknowledging your actions and learning from mistakes, which is especially important for your growth in the nursing profession because each action you take affects patients, and it is extremely important to ensure they are safe. Professionalism is also important when taking the lead with patients; this is particularly important when these children are with us all week. They may become attached, so it is important to remain professional when doing so.

"Working with HCPT allowed me to understand and really see the importance of working in a team and the preparation it takes to plan care and ensure these children travel safely, as is similarly seen in ward base placements. When I was in Lourdes, I attended the nurses meeting, and it was great to listen to all of the nurses and healthcare professionals discussing things to improve to allow the trip to run as smoothly as possible and allowing praise where it was due. I was able to meet HCPT's medical liaison team, which is a group of amazing people, and I was even able to talk about my passion for diabetics, as one of them happens to be a diabetic specialist nurse. This is something that isn't always possible on a ward as staff are so busy and may not always have time to talk. Lourdes also showed me a side to faith when it comes to children who are ill. Some families see Lourdes as a place to heal their children and develop as individuals while there, and in fact I did witness this with all the children that I worked with throughout the week. It also helped me to understand, as a future nurse, how important and meaningful it is for families to implement faith into caring for children or young people and how we also teach these children about faith the way any other child or young person would be taught, which with HCPT is full of singing, dancing, and fun activities, which I loved being a part of.

"I would 100% say to go to Lourdes with HCPT. It develops you so much as an individual and gives you that time to really connect with yourself, and although the week is so full of singing, dancing, days out at Hosanna House, trips to the beach, and so much more, you will be tired. It has got to be the best experience ever. There's so many opportunities to work alongside the group nurse with doing meds, meeting personal care needs, and even attending meetings with all nurses and other medical teams who all travel to Lourdes each year and are responsible for ensuring everyone is safe. The most rewarding experience of travelling with HCPT was seeing how happy all the children and young people were and how much they were enjoying their time. You also feel a sense of pride and accomplishment each day because you have helped these children feel comfortable and confident on this trip to get involved, ask those questions they have, and leave home for the week away from their comfort of being at home with parents or carers. As a student nurse, this is an experience we may never be fortunate to be offered again, and it's an experience you will never forget. All I can say is that it is absolutely amazing, and I can't wait to return in 2025."