Newly qualified nurse Sehanaj Kaur (Image: University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire (UHCW) NHS Trust)
A woman diagnosed with Graves’ disease as a toddler has realised her dream of being a children’s nurse – after being inspired as a youngster by the medics who cared for her. Sehanaj Kaur was diagnosed with the autoimmune thyroid condition aged three, sparking rapid growth, a bulging eye and collapses, linked to its effects on heart rate and metabolism.
From a young age, Sehanaj Kaur faced significant health challenges, yet she never wavered in her ambition to become a children’s nurse. Diagnosed with Graves’ disease at just three years old, she experienced symptoms like rapid growth, a protruding eye, and occasional collapses due to the condition’s impact on her heart rate and metabolism.
Despite the hurdles of living with Type 1 diabetes, Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), and ADHD, Sehanaj’s resolve remained unshaken. These conditions affected her education, preventing her from achieving the grades she initially aimed for. However, inspired by the medical professionals who cared for her during her childhood, she found another way to pursue her dream. She completed an access course and earned a place at Coventry University to study Children and Young People’s Nursing.
Today, at the age of 37, Sehanaj has achieved her goal and is working as a newly qualified nurse at the University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire (UHCW) NHS Trust. Her personal experiences have given her a unique perspective in her role. “I can understand what these children are going through because I’ve been there,” she shared. “Sometimes just feeling understood makes all the difference.”
Read more: Discover the subtle skin changes in children that might signal early signs of diabetes.
Read more: Labour NHS crisis deepens as a third trade union threatens strikes, posing a significant challenge.
Reflecting on her childhood experiences in hospital in Kent and later Coventry, Sehanaj recalled the compassion shown to her by nurses during frightening and confusing moments.
She said: “It was the nurses who inspired me. My parents couldn’t always be there and it was the nurses who stayed with me, listened to me, comforted me and helped me feel safe.
“I saw them as the unsung heroes and I wanted to give back even a fraction of what they gave to me. When I didn’t understand what was happening, they showed me kindness and patience.
“Even when I was pulling out my cannula or wandering the ward, they never got angry – they just took care of me.
“They’d take me to the playroom in the middle of the night and made me feel cared for, never like a burden. That stayed with me and that’s the impact I want to have on children.”
Despite struggling in traditional academic settings, Sehanaj said university – and nursing in particular – allowed her to thrive.
She remarked: “I wasn’t very good at school but that didn’t mean I wasn’t capable – I just needed the right environment and support.
“University was different. My lecturers really listened to me and believed in me, especially when I doubted myself.
“Nursing is practical, hands-on and compassionate, and having such a large teaching hospital on Coventry’s doorstep gave me invaluable exposure to children’s nursing.”
Sehanaj studied her medical degree at Coventry University (Image: Getty)
Before pursuing nursing, she worked as a nursery nurse and later built a career in retail, rising to a management role at Lush Spa Birmingham.
Now working as a qualified nurse, she says achieving her childhood ambition still feels surreal.
She said: “That eight year-old who decided she wanted to be a children’s nurse – she made it. I did it. And every day I put my uniform on, I’m reminded why I wanted this so badly.”
Sehanaj is looking ahead to continuing her career in paediatrics, with aspirations to eventually specialise in paediatric diabetes care.
She added: “Nursing to me is about selfless service. If I can make even one moment easier for a child or their family, that’s a job well done – and that’s why I’m proud to be a nurse.”
