Father, Daughter Start First Day Of Work Together As Nurses: "Compassion Runs In Family"

• For the better part of his life, Steven made his money from doing manual jobs and in the retail industry as a greengrocer
• However, he always had a passion for nursing and went back to college in his older years to study mental health
• It was a memorable moment for him when Steven and his daughter Stevie-Leigh Jewell joined The Harbour Mental Health Hospital as nurses and reported on the same day

Steven and his daughter Stevie-Leigh Jewell recently earned their qualifications as mental health nurses and are gearing up to commence their careers together.

Despite the substantial age gap of over 20 years, the father-daughter duo shared a commitment to making a difference in the lives of others.

Father started as manual labourer

These family ties brought Steven and Stevie-Leigh to graduate within weeks of each other, with both joining The Harbour, a mental health hospital, as registered nurses.

Steven started his journey four years ago when he joined Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust with no experience working in mental health, The Mirror reports.

"Most of my working life has been in manual jobs and retail as a greengrocer," he started.

Steven disclosed that he always had an interest in mental health but wasn't sure what opportunities existed for someone like him who didn't have any previous qualifications in nursing.

I couldn't be happier, Steven

He admitted that it has been daunting to start a new career path later in life, but peers and managers have supported and encouraged him to follow his dreams.

Steven's journey began as a healthcare support worker at The Harbour, where he gained valuable experience in the care sector.

He later pursued a Trainee Nursing Associate course and completed the Registered Nursing Degree Apprenticeship.

Both father and daughter share a personal connection to mental health, having experienced its impact firsthand.

Compassion runs in family

Steven revealed that he and Stevie-Leigh are passionate about helping others, a trait that runs in the family.

"We have both at times experienced poor mental health, and I think that is ultimately what drives us to want to help others," he continued.

The pair started studying simultaneously, so it felt special for them to have graduated within a few weeks of each other.

Expressing excitement about their future roles, Stevie-Leigh said she looked forward to positively impacting people.

"I love knowing I’m making a difference and helping people live better and reach their full potential, and I know my dad feels the same,” she reiterated.

Praises from CEO

Chris Oliver, the trust's chief executive, applauded the duo's accomplishments, stating that it was terrific to see Stephen and Stevie-Leigh complete their studies.

"Steven was named our ‘apprentice of the year’ for 2023, and I know he has been integral in many recent projects and invaluable in supporting other colleagues currently studying," he praised.

Oliver also pointed out the duo's shared passion, noting that it was inspirational and the trust was extremely lucky to have them working with their older adult service users.

He added that he looked forward to seeing what else Steven and Stevie-Leigh would go on to achieve with the organisation.

Father, daughter recreate cockpit photo

In an earlier story, a father and his daughter recreated a photo they took in 2006 when the youngster was only eight.

Back then, Jasmijn van Waalwijk was just a little girl with a doll who had joined her pilot father in the cockpit of a KLM flight.

In the recreated photo, she was a qualified pilot flying alongside her dad for the first time, but she still had the beloved doll.