Published on: 3 February 2026
An NHS worker who battled stage 4 cancer while training to become a nurse has officially qualified and returned to the NHS frontline.
55‑year‑old Maggie Bennett, from Hetton-le-Hole, has become a newly qualified Staff Nurse at South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust after overcoming a series of life‑changing personal challenges.
Maggie first joined the NHS in 2009 after a long career in retail came to an end. While searching for a new direction, she discovered a role for Healthcare Assistants at South Tyneside District Hospital. It was a decision she says changed the course of her life.
Six months later, she secured a temporary post in the Emergency Department. She then moved to a permanent position on the Acute Stroke Unit at Sunderland Royal Hospital, where she worked from 2010 until January 2026.
It was during this time that Maggie set her sights on becoming a Registered Nurse through the Registered Nurse Degree Apprenticeship (RNDA). She secured a place in 2018, but just weeks later, major surgery forced her to defer.
She later began her apprenticeship in January 2021, proudly joining the cohort as its oldest student.
Her studies, however, were far from straightforward. In 2022, her middle daughter became an altruistic kidney donor and later chose to pursue a nursing career herself.
Eight months later, Maggie received a devastating call from her eldest daughter in Australia, who had been diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer.
Also, during her training, Maggie’s Mum who was already living with cancer received an additional two cancer diagnoses, she was aware of her achievement at university and sadly passed away on 22nd November 2025. The family laid her to rest just six weeks ago.
Maggie continued her studies throughout with support from the Trust’s Thrive counselling service.
In late 2024, Maggie began experiencing symptoms she believed were a virus. After urgent tests and referrals, she was diagnosed on 27 December 2024 with stage 4B Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. She began chemotherapy early January at the Phoenix Unit at Sunderland Royal Hospital.
Despite undergoing intensive treatment, Maggie refused to give up on her dream. She completed her dissertation during chemotherapy and achieved a first.
Reflecting on her journey, Maggie said:
“I refused to be defeated. My goal was clear, I needed to complete my studies and graduate alongside my cohort. No matter what challenges came my way, I was determined to finish what I started. I’m incredibly proud to now serve as a Staff Nurse and to give my patients the very best care I can.”
Maggie joined the Nursing and Midwifery Council register on 12 May 2025, International Nurses Day, and officially graduated in July. She has since returned to the Emergency Department at Sunderland Royal Hospital as a newly qualified Staff Nurse.
All her treatment for the cancer was completed in June 2025, when she rang the bell and expressed her gratitude to the Phoenix Unit team.
Maggie shared:
“I feel a huge sense of gratitude for the opportunity to serve as a Staff Nurse, and I am determined in my mission to provide exceptional care and make a meaningful impact on my patients’ lives.”
