How a tragic loss galvanised Louisa’s passion for nursing
After losing her first husband to cancer, Louisa understands how deeply personal the impact of cancer is, and the vital need for personalised support.
Louisa Fleure knew she wanted to be a nurse from just three years old, but it was a devastating loss that brought a renewed purpose to her career.
Pursuing her childhood dream, Louisa completed her nursing training at Guy’s in the late 1980s, but the hospital has become so much more than just a place of work.
Not only where her son was born and where her neighbours are treated, the team also cared for Louisa’s first husband, Phil, before his devastating death from bowel cancer in 2006.
This life-changing experience was a turning point in Louisa’s career. She felt compelled to move into cancer nursing, dedicating herself to supporting those in a situation she knew only too well.
Phil’s death gave me a new focus on what was important and what I felt I could contribute. It brought me back to nursing with a very different perspective, because I'd been there.
Guy’s Cancer embodies everything that's really fantastic about the NHS. It's about a great quality service that's individual and personalised.
