Southampton nurse wins national award for blood cancer care
A Southampton nurse has received a prestigious national award for her contribution to blood cancer care.
Mary James, clinical nurse specialist in bone marrow transplant (BMT) and cellular therapy at University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust (UHS), has been named Haemato-Oncology Nurse of the Year by the UK Oncology Nursing Society.
The award recognises her outstanding contribution to patient care, education, service development and nursing leadership.
Mary qualified as a nurse in 2005 and has been part of UHS since 2013, starting as a staff nurse on the Leukaemia and BMT Unit before progressing to ward sister. She has also worked as a senior clinical practice educator.
She took on the new role of clinical nurse specialist last year, with her day-to-day responsibilities including the co-ordination of patients’ bone marrow transplants, guiding them through the preparation process and making essential referrals.
She also plays a key role in educating the wider team to ensure ward staff have the knowledge and confidence to care for transplant patients effectively, with the majority of patients spending up to six weeks on the ward afterwards.
Her responsibilities also extend beyond the hospital walls, as she liaises with donor registries from across the world, managing complex logistics.
Mary said: “It is a great honour to receive this award, but this recognition is not just about me – it reflects the collective effort, commitment and passion of the entire team.
“Every success we celebrate is built on the hard work, collaboration and dedication of colleagues who consistently go above and beyond. I’m grateful to be part of such an outstanding team.”
Sara Main, lead nurse, BMT and cellular therapy, said: “This award is a fitting recognition of Mary’s dedication, expertise and the profound impact she has on patients, colleagues and the wider specialty. We are incredibly proud of her achievement.
“Mary is an exceptional clinician whose practice is defined by compassion, expertise and unwavering commitment to patient-centred care.
“She builds meaningful trusting relationships with patients and their significant others and is respected by clinical colleagues and partners external to the organisation.”