海角直播

A new start for Helen

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At the age of 36 Helen Reeves was a divorced mother-of-three, unemployed and claiming benefits. However, a visit to her local Benefits Agency Office transformed her life, leading her to the New Deal for Lone Parents Scheme and then to an Access Course. This is turn led to a BSc (Hons) degree in Diagnostic Radiography at the University of 海角直播. Helen has now graduated from the degree, and about to take up her first post as a Radiographer in the Breast Care Unit at the University Hospital of North Tees.

Helen, 40, from Darlington, originally qualified as a Secretary and worked for a local engineering firm for 10 years, before taking a break to bring up her children, Stephen, 14, Samantha, 12, and Peter, eight. When her marriage ended Helen found herself living on income support. Helen said: 鈥淚t was a bit of a shock. When I was in the Benefits Office I was told about the New Deal for Lone Parents Scheme. The adviser asked what I wanted to do, and I just shrugged my shoulders and said I鈥檇 like to work for the NHS. They then suggested an Access to Professions Allied to Medicine Course at Darlington College. I absolutely loved the course, and found out my strengths were Maths and Physics, which was strange as I hated Physics at school! The tutors suggested I looked at Diagnostic Radiography because of my subject strengths. I鈥檇 never heard of this before.鈥�

After shadowing Radiography staff at Darlington Memorial Hospital, Helen was convinced she was aiming for the right career, and enrolled at 海角直播. During the three-year course all of Helen鈥檚 placements were also at Darlington Memorial. She said: 鈥淚 really enjoyed that, working with colleagues, and meeting patients and their families. I also enjoyed the academic side, being able to research subjects in depth, and other modules such as anatomy and physiology. The University鈥檚 lecturers are lovely, supportive and absolutely brilliant. And anything you need is available in the University鈥檚 Learning Resource Centre.鈥�

Helen gained her new post at North Tees after only her first interview. She said: 鈥淚鈥檓 thrilled to have got this post. When I first had my New Deal appointment I thought I鈥檇 work in a care home, I never thought I鈥檇 get this far. Once I鈥檝e completed a one-year post-graduate certificate in Mammography I鈥檒l be able to work in the community. Eventually I鈥檇 like to do a Masters degree.

鈥淐ombining the degree with my family hasn鈥檛 been easy and sometimes I asked the children if they wanted me to leave the course, but they said 鈥榢eep going mum鈥�. Even when I was having what they term my 鈥榙iva strop鈥� over their use of the home computer! They鈥檒l all be coming to my graduation in November.鈥�

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