“I’ve always found it a privilege to help people through their journeys. When I was a district nurse, I saw a lot of people through their cancer experience and so I wanted to continue doing that. I thought Cancer Society would be a great organisation to do that with.”
Meet Karen Keeling who joins our nursing team in Hamilton. Hailing from the other side of the world from an English city called Stoke-on-Trent, Karen immigrated to New Zealand in 1998 with 16 years nursing experience and took up a role at Waikato Hospital. She then followed that up by working as a district nurse in Te Awamutu and Cambridge.
“My Mum died of cancer about six years ago, so I have had a personal experience with cancer. Luckily, I made it back to the UK and was able to nurse her in the hospice for the last week of her life.”
As a district nurse, Karen has come into contact with many people going through cancer treatment. But now she’s looking forward to providing broader psychosocial support for people with cancer and the carers who support them.
“I’m looking forward to concentrating more on the journey with people.”
About supportive care services
Cancer Society supportive care services are free for people with cancer and their whānau, and a referral is not necessary. People needing support can contact Cancer Society on 0800 22 77 44.