Leukaemia survivor Dan giving back to the NHS after achieving dream of becoming a children's nurse

Childhood cancer survivor Dan Laird has fulfilled his lifelong ambition of becoming a children’s nurse.

Dan was diagnosed with leukaemia, which affects the blood and bone marrow, at just six years old and spent three years undergoing intensive treatment.

Now 33 and still in remission, Dan completed his Children and Young People’s Nursing degree at Coventry University in January 2026 and stepped into a nursing role on the Children’s Ward at University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire (UHCW) NHS Trust.

Inspired by his childhood care, Dan wants to give back to the NHS and help others facing similar journeys.

He said: “I don’t remember much because of the chemotherapy but my mum has told me how difficult it was. At first they thought it was a virus but when my symptoms worsened my parents took me to A&E where they quickly identified what was wrong and sent me to Birmingham Children’s Hospital. The care I received there is a big part of why I wanted to become a children’s nurse.”

Dan’s treatment included a clinical trial and he still attends Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham due to long‑term heart affects from chemotherapy.

He said: “A lot of what I went through was difficult but I’ve turned it into something positive - it pushed me towards the career I have today.

“I just want to give back the care I received. I hope I can be a source of reassurance for children and parents because I’ve been through it and I understand what that journey is like.”

Dan hopes more men consider nursing - especially in paediatrics – and insists age should never be a barrier to what you want to achieve.

He said: “When I was a child, the nurse who looked after me was male and he really stood out. There’s such a need for more male nurses, especially for people who might feel more comfortable talking to a man.

“You’re never too old to go into nursing. If the drive is there, just go for it. We all bring something different because of our backgrounds.”

Start your nursing journey.