At just three years old Christine Leathem was struck by her mum Colette’s student nurse uniform and the little girl sat proudly to cheer her on when Colette donned her cap and gown for her graduation in 2009. So inspired by her own mum’s study and vocation into Nursing, Christine, having recently completed her degree in Cardiac Physiology, has become the fourth generation of women in the Leathem family to work for the health care service.
Colette, who works as a staff Nurse in the Ulster Hospital’s Cardiology department described how proud she is of Christine’s momentous achievement and how, “When Christine was working in the Cardiac Investigations Unit in the Ulster Hospital, during her training, she became the fourth generation of our family to work for the NHS.”
Colette continued, “My granny, Maureen Reid, was a domestic in the Royal Victoria Hospital. My mum Maria Gillespie, started as a Health Care Assistant in Belvoir Park before completing her Nursing degree through the Open University. Mum graduated at 57 and we were all so incredibly proud of her. I have been at the Ulster Hospital since 2010 and in the Cardiac Hub and Cath Lab for the past six years,” said Colette.
“I started my degree when Christine was just three years old and she was there when I graduated. We are all so proud of all she has achieved and that she will be the fourth generation of our family to go into healthcare.”