Elaine Chapman is the Lead Advisory Nurse for Cambridge Cancer Research Hospital, the new specialist cancer hospital for the East of England.
Watch Elaine Chapman’s story
Link: https://youtu.be/Ae-bfZfcqk8
Elaine has had a long career working in cancer and in 2006, she was diagnosed with stage 4 breast cancer.
For International Nurses Day this Friday 12 May, which this year is focussing on the "brighter" future of nurses, we’re celebrating the valuable contribution our nurses like Elaine make, to help change the story of cancer.
“I have just been so lucky. Each time my cancer has returned, there has been advances in research to provide me with a new drug or treatment, so I have been able to continue to live a full and active life.”
Elaine began her cancer career working as an oncology nurse at Cambridge University Hospitals (CUH) in 2000, where she gained skills in giving chemotherapy.
She then progressed across a number of roles at Addenbrooke’s and was appointed the hospital’s Lead Cancer Nurse in 2014, before taking on her current position as Lead Advisory Nurse for Cambridge Cancer Research Hospital.
The brand new state-of-the-art facility will bring together clinical expertise from Addenbrooke’s Hospital and world-class scientists from the University of Cambridge and Cancer Research UK Cambridge Centre.
In 2016 Elaine discovered her breast cancer had spread to her brain, after a metastatic brain tumour was found.
Since her diagnosis she has signed up to a number of research studies and has greatly benefited from targeted treatment programmes at CUH, which has enabled her to live a happy life.
“Without research, I strongly suspect I would not be here today.”
Elaine said: "I have just been so lucky. Each time my cancer has returned, I have been able to benefit from the endeavours of researchers and clinical teams to access new drugs or treatments.
"I have been able to continue living a full and active life as a person and a nurse at Addenbrooke’s.
“It’s amazing to think that this kind of rapid excellence will soon become the norm within our clinical spaces too.
“Without research, I strongly suspect I would not be here today.”
Elaine collects feedback from cancer staff and patients to help improve care and the quality of life for future patients using the new regional hospital.
She communicates the project’s progress to patients and staff – translating the latest plans on the designs, architecture and rooms.
This helps people understand what will go into the new building, but also involves capturing peoples’ opinions on what they will need, want to see and most importantly, understand how cancer services will operate and benefit patients when the building opens.
“I see my role almost like a bridge, recognising what will be in the new hospital and sharing this with patients and staff to ensure our services work practically, as we combine research and clinical practice into one building.”
Elaine said “one of the most enjoyable parts” of her role is working with the project’s Patient Advisory Group (PAG), set up from the Cancer Patient Partnership Group (CPPG) at Addenbrooke’s Hospital.
The working group of patients and carers with lived experience of cancer are co-producing the hospital, offering unique ideas and feedback on how it should be designed, built and run.
“Patients see things that staff just don’t see,” said Elaine.
“Hearing from people who have gone through, or are currently having cancer treatment, is so important, as the lived experience is often very different from a professionals.
“We’re working together on all sorts of things, including looking at how patients will navigate through the building and how might wayfinding apps work? And how can well-designed green spaces support patients’ wellbeing?”
Neil Stutchbury, Co-Chair of the PAG, said:
“It’s a multi-disciplinary project that really matters. We will feel awfully proud as patients when we see the building going up. We can’t wait to walk in and think gosh, we were involved in this.”
Elaine leads on the project’s community engagement work, which involves meeting and working with people from different cultures, backgrounds and communities to learn what is important for them in the new hospital.
Her work also includes consulting with the clinical cancer teams dispersed across the Addenbrooke’s site, who will be moving over to the new building.
“We’re determining what efficiencies we will gain from our cancer teams moving into one space and looking at the kind of culture we will need for Cambridge Cancer Research Hospital to thrive,” said Elaine.
“Working on this project is a total privilege. It really is so exciting to bring researchers and clinicians together and to bring science from the bench to the bedside to our patients.”
Join us on International Nurses’ Day on 12 May to celebrate the difference nursing makes. #InternationalNursesDay