Six-year-old in Doncaster wants to make others better after being ill since she was five weeks old

A Doncaster six-year-old, who has been poorly since she was five-weeks-old, has pledged to become a nurse when she grows up to help make other people better…….and now she’s encouraging others to think about nursing as a career.

Little Nahla Walker has been in and out of hospital since she was born and was soon diagnosed to have scarring on her lungs.

She has treatment through a port-a-cath which is used to give her medication. This means she regularly sees a nurse from local health trust Rotherham Doncaster and South Humber NHS Foundation Trust (RDaSH) to ensure her port-a-cath is ok.

Nahla told her community nurses Joanne Leivesley and Helen Drury of her wish to be a nurse when she’s older and by magic, they turned her into one overnight. For the nurses from RDaSH’s children’s services arranged for a mini-uniform to be made – so she could dress just like them.

Now Nahla proudly wears her community nurse T-shirt and special name badge which says she is ‘a nurse in training.’

Mum Zoe said: “Nahla loves her nurses and says she wants to be just like them when she’s older as she wants to make other people better, just like they make Nahla feel better.”

Christina Harrison, RDaSH Director, who oversees the children’s services, said: “Our nurses are fabulous and it shows how well they do their jobs – they clearly inspire our young patients to be just like them! We can’t wait to welcome Nahla into our employment…although she will have to wait at least 12 years.”

Now Nahla has featured in a short video clip and will feature on social media to encourage local residents to think about nursing as a career.

Christina added: “You’re never too young to start thinking about your career…..and Nahla clearly shows us this.”