industry & reform
Ovarian Cancer Nurse Sue Hegarty is presented with the 2022 HESTA Nurse of the Year award . Picture : Supplied
A year to remember
Meet HESTA ’ s 2022 Nurse of the Year .
Sue Hegarty interviewed By Elise Hartevelt
Nurse practitioner Sue Hegarty recently had the honour of receiving the 2022 HESTA Nurse of the Year award .
She was one of three nominated nurses this year and won because of her exceptional contribution to the not-forprofit organisation Ovarian Cancer Australia . “ It was such a lovely acknowledgment of the work we ’ ve done at Ovarian Cancer Australia in supporting women ,” she said . Aside from her tireless advocacy to help women with ovarian cancer , she also spearheaded the first Australian telehealth program for the treatment of the disease .
Nursing Review caught up with Sue to hear about her passion for nursing and what ’ s coming up next .
NR : When you were nominated did you think that you were going to win the prize this year ? SH : No , I didn ’ t . When I read about the other incredible nurses and the work that
14 | nursingreview . com . au they ’ d been doing , especially in the last couple of years with the COVID pandemic , I think it ’ s never been a harder time for the nursing workforce in Australia , so it really was a great honour .
I think winning the award was such an acknowledgement of the work that our team has done throughout the pandemic supporting women with ovarian cancer , and particularly launching our Teal Support Program , where women get access to their own ovarian cancer nurse consultant : they have their mobile number , they can call the nurse and speak with them about what ’ s happening to them in their treatment , if they ’ re experiencing side effects , and support for their family .
I think it was a really lovely acknowledgement of the work that the team has been doing , and we did establish the first ever ovarian cancer telehealth nurse consultant program that ’ s available to women across Australia , regardless of where they live .
How did you get into nursing ? My mum Denise was a nurse . She worked in aged care for a lot of my childhood . I used to go along with my best friend
“ You get so much more back from working with people and helping to support them .
while mum was doing her shift , and we ’ d be walking around chatting to the residents when they were having their morning tea , and I really loved that . It just put a fire in my belly , I think .
My auntie Sue is also a nurse . I think I saw what you can get from being a nurse and how rewarding it can be . I always wanted to be a nurse from when I was very little . I used to dress up as a nurse . It was always my plan to be a nurse . I don ’ t think that actually wavered at any point .
What makes you so passionate about it ? I think it ’ s a great privilege to be able to work with people . We know , particularly when people are living through a cancer diagnosis , it can be the toughest time in their life ; particularly for ovarian cancer , which we know only has a 48 per cent five-year survival rate and the majority