Viv Calverley has worked at Yorkshire Fertility for many years and has been an incredible nurse touching so many hearts with her caring and nurturing nature. What has stood our to most of us has been her ability to make our patients smile at what can be the most traumatic time of their lives.
How it all started...
Viv began working with Consultant Obstetrician & Gynaecologist - Mr Martin DeBono whilst on the gynaecology ward at Calderdale Royal Hospital. She was involved in early pregnancy assessment where an initial interest in fertility developed.
"I was impressed by the passion and care Mr DeBono demanded for his fertility patients."
Viv was attracted to an area where it seemed patients were given such individual attention. With a history of working as a midwife and in women's health Viv's transition into fertility enabled her to use her knowledge whilst learning the ropes of infertility. At first feeling overwhelmed by the specialism of this area she was supported by experienced nurses and completed the 'Fertility' Course at Leeds University along with an ultrasound scanning course at Leeds Reproductive Medicine Unit (now Leeds Fertility) and at Liverpool Women's Hospital.
During her career Viv has developed an interest in the donation programme where she has coordinated donor sperm treatment helping couples as well as single women become parents - something they must have thought would never happen.
Dealing with the emotions...
In Fertility patients can become emotional in many different ways. They may feel anxiety, anger, pain, upset, despair, denial, joy... the feelings are strong and being a fertility nurse there is a real talent required to be able to sympathise with these emotions. Statistically there are not many fertility nurses in our area, but the ones there are, are pretty exceptional.
Viv says; "Any nurse would be in the wrong job if they could not empathise with their patients and feel their pain, and share their joy."
Many of our patients return again, and some again and again. They become friends who we recognise and remember from previous treatment.
"The reason we go to work is for that one day when we can celebrate good news of a pregnancy. Unfortunately we know that not all our patients will be so lucky, and then our job is to support them and offer any help they may need - sometimes that means crying with them."
Plans for retirement...
Viv and her sister are planning to invest in a holiday home in their favourite location - Whitby. Being a regular destination for her and her family this will be a home from home for family and friends to enjoy.
In November Viv is planning to go to Kenya to the 'Memusi Foundation' to volunteer at an orphanage which was founded by a local couple from Yorkshire. Then next year she will be visiting the 'Hope' orphanage in India. Although she says she will enjoy joining her lady friends that lunch, she will by no means be sitting around for any length of time!
Since her youngest daughter now lives in Germany she plans to learn German and whilst her oldest daughter has just got married she is kind of hoping for a knitting project sooner rather than later!
"My lectures about contraception have now changed to - don't leave it too late to have a baby!"
And if you're like us and really sad to be saying goodbye to Viv, don't worry too much, she may just come back now and again to do some extra shifts for us!
We wish Viv all the very best and for a very happy retirement, thank you for all you have done for Yorkshire Fertility.
