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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.

Growing up she was also diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes, Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and ADHD, which affected her education meaning she did not achieve the school grades she hoped for. But determined to still be a nurse like the NHS staff who helped her, she completed an access course and successfully applied to study Children and Young People's Nursing at Coventry University.

Now aged 37 she is newly qualified and pursuing her dream by working at University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire (UHCW) NHS Trust.

She explained: "I can understand what these children are going through because I've been there. Sometimes just feeling understood makes all the difference."

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."

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."