Sophie dances to a new beat of nursing

Photo: Sophie-Florence Spurgeon (left) has been awarded an Epworth Healthcare Fellowship.

Considering a career as a professional Irish dancer, a seemingly innocuous jolt in a minor car accident six years ago changed everything for Sophie-Florence Spurgeon.

Almost 17, Ms Spurgeon was straight back to school when things started to not feel right. A week later, she couldn’t finish her beloved dance classes and she knew something was wrong.

A hospital X-ray confirmed she had broken her neck, snapping her C7. A C7 spinal cord injury can result in loss of movement and sensation, which can affect other functions in the body.

Despite being born into a medical family, a job in the medical field wasn’t Ms Spurgeon’s first, second or third choice.

"For a long time it was my plan Z of all my career choices," she said.

But the care she received from her nursing team while recovering in hospital changed all that.

"I was influenced by how I was cared for by nurses.”

Enrolling in the Holmesglen Institute Diploma of Nursing saw her on her path to becoming a nurse, with graduation set for early next year.

Now 23, Ms Spurgeon’s also been awarded an Epworth Healthcare Fellowship that provides selected students with clinical placement opportunities and guarantees an interview when they graduate.

"I want to let people know how difficult and challenging chronic pain and conditions can be, especially invisible ones. There's no recognition for it," she said.