Meet Symes Thorpe Clinical Educator and Registered Nurse, Sheryl Kupfer, who completed her master’s degree at the University of Southern Queensland while on dialysis.
Symes Thorpe Clinical Educator and Registered Nurse, Sheryl Kupfer. Photo: Anglicare Southern Queensland
“I was inspired because I had extra time and wanted to give back. The nurses I was surrounded by during my treatment were extraordinary and I felt I could give back in that way to the community,” Sheryl said.
“I was inspired to do my masters in aged care because I wanted to learn more about what we can do for our residents, and it has given me a better insight into aged care.”
Sheryl has inspired many of her colleagues with her determination and positive attitude as she completed her nursing degree while on dialysis for a kidney transplant.
From doing cleaning to working in the mines and then working at the newsagent, Sheryl has tried her hand at various jobs before finding her passion in aged care.
For those considering a nursing career, Sheryl said “… to follow your dreams.”
“I would tell them to follow their dreams. Start today because time goes away, and this has been a goal of mine since I finished school. It is never too late, but you get there faster, the sooner you begin,” she said.
Sheryl said she found it quite a challenge finishing her degree while on dialysis as it often made her fatigued, having spent 18 hours a week hooked up to a machine.
“I was on dialysis for four years and three months until I had a transplant, and it was the nurses at the dialysis unit who helped me if I had any trouble with my study,” she said.
“I was hooked up to a machine for five hours a day, three times a week and then one day for three hours a week.
“It was a challenging period, but I just considered that it was my treatment that I had to have until I had my transplant.”
Thank you, Sheryl, and all of our incredible nurses right across the state, for your hard work, dedication, and the invaluable role you play in the lives of so many Queenslanders every day.