Wrexham woman wins Coleg Cambria Learner of the Year award
Emily Satterthwaite, who works as a carer at Pendine Park's Penybryn care home, was named Learner of the Year at the Coleg Cambria Student Awards 2025.
She was selected by a judging panel for the Delivery Partner Learner of the Year accolade, recognising her work.
The 34-year-old has been at the care home for six years and has managed to excel in her Level 3 qualification course despite experiencing years of ill health and the death of her father, Keith Richard Bunn, two years ago.
As well as battling Crohn's disease herself, she has supported her mum and partner through cancer diagnoses.
Ms Satterthwaite, of Coedpoeth, said she 'could not be more delighted' and sees it as a tribute to her late father, her loving family, and herself.
She said: "He was a real fighter and believed in carrying on as best you can whatever the odds.
"He instilled in me a phenomenal work ethic which I will always be grateful for."
Ms Satterthwaite regularly leads the night shift and has achieved a Health and Social Care Level 2 qualification, as well as continuing her care sector training with the care organisation.
Her mentor and Pendine Park tutor, Jenna Evans, nominated Ms Satterthwaite for the award, saying she has shown 'indomitable levels of courage' in achieving all she has done in recent years.
She said: "Emily's journey is a testament to her resilience, dedication, and commitment to health and social care.
"It is remarkable and truly admirable that, despite being diagnosed with Crohn's Disease, Emily still chose to work in care.
"She has shown such commitment given all the ongoing hardships she and her family have faced."
Ms Satterthwaite's ultimate goal is to become a nurse, a job she hopes to pursue after achieving her Level 3 qualification.
She said: "It's been my ambition ever since I was a child.
"Gaining my nursing qualification would be a dream come true for me.
"I would love to work as a palliative nurse in a care home."
Ms Satterthwaite's mum, Diane Marie Bunn, who is also a carer at Penybryn, said she is 'enormously proud' of her daughter and 'constantly amazed' at her inner strength.
She said: "Emily has been through so much since her teenage years but she has always fought so hard to achieve her ambitions, I could not be more proud of her.
"She is an inspiration to me and to others.
"It's wonderful to see how much she has progressed, and I'm so pleased for her attaining the Learner of the Year award, she thoroughly deserves it."
READ MORE:
'It's so rewarding' – Wrexham volunteer reflects on vital ambulance role
Penybryn manager Tracey Cuthill also praised Ms Satterthwaite, saying: "We're all incredibly proud of what Emily has achieved.
"Her commitment to learning is truly heroic given everything she has had to overcome to achieve such remarkable success.
"She is a credit to herself, a credit to her family, and a credit to Pendine and a role model for all who aspire to be the best they can be."
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Mum 'reassured' over Batten disease drug access decision
"To know that he will have that treatment now for the rest of his life is incredible, it's so reassuring."Emily's four-year-old son, Max, from Spinkhill, near Killarmarsh in Derbyshire, has CLN2 Batten disease, a rare degenerative genetic disorder that causes a decline in a child's ability to walk, speak and is symptom-free and has been receiving Brineura, the only approved treatment that slows the condition's progress, since he was access to the drug, which costs over £500,000 per patient per year, had been due to expire at the end of May, however an agreement was reached allowing existing patients to continue to have it. However, it has not been recommended for future patients diagnosed beyond the end of 2025 "due to its high price and the limited evidence of long-term effectiveness", said the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). Max goes to Manchester Children's Hospital every two weeks to receive treatment."He has to stay on the bed for four hours, but because he's had this treatment since he was a baby he doesn't really know any different so he likes it," Emily said."He says he's 'going to get his medicine' and sees the doctors."His dad, James, said Max receiving the treatment from a young age "has been absolutely key in the happy little boy that you see".He added: "He's progressing amazingly well in terms of his abilities."He's still symptom-free in terms of Batten disease, so it's a real success for the drug." Max's older sister, Holly, also has Batten disease and had been receiving Brineura as part of her the six-year-old was diagnosed later in life and the family felt she was not getting as much benefit from the drug as her symptoms increased and agreed it should be said: "Holly was on the treatment for around 12 months, but in that time her condition progressed and she started to lose more and more of her abilities."Within the space of a year, she'd gone from being a relatively normal and happy four-year-old to not being able to walk, losing all of her speech and losing her ability to eat and swallowing normally." Emily and James's youngest child, four-month-old Rory, was born after the couple underwent in vitro fertilisation were screened in advance to check if the condition might be passed on again and, as a result, Rory does not have Batten said: "We were lucky to get four embryos that were unaffected and Rory was the first one that we transferred, so he's a healthy baby."On the decision to stop the use of Brineura for children not yet diagnosed with Batten disease, NICE said: "This committee took into account the condition's rarity, severity and the effect of cerliponase alfa [the drug marketed as Brineura] on quality and length of life."But using the proposed price of the medicine, the most likely-cost effectiveness estimate is not within what NICE considers an acceptable use of NHS resources."So, cerliponase alfa is not recommended."In response, the Batten Disease Family Association said: "Whilst this is naturally disappointing, it is important to note that this is not NICE's final guidance on the future of Brineura on the NHS."The NICE committee will meet again in July to consider evidence and consultation feedback in relation to whether patients not currently diagnosed with Batten disease could receive the drug in future.
Leader Live
a day ago
- Leader Live
Wrexham woman wins Coleg Cambria Learner of the Year award
Emily Satterthwaite, who works as a carer at Pendine Park's Penybryn care home, was named Learner of the Year at the Coleg Cambria Student Awards 2025. She was selected by a judging panel for the Delivery Partner Learner of the Year accolade, recognising her work. The 34-year-old has been at the care home for six years and has managed to excel in her Level 3 qualification course despite experiencing years of ill health and the death of her father, Keith Richard Bunn, two years ago. As well as battling Crohn's disease herself, she has supported her mum and partner through cancer diagnoses. Ms Satterthwaite, of Coedpoeth, said she 'could not be more delighted' and sees it as a tribute to her late father, her loving family, and herself. She said: "He was a real fighter and believed in carrying on as best you can whatever the odds. "He instilled in me a phenomenal work ethic which I will always be grateful for." Ms Satterthwaite regularly leads the night shift and has achieved a Health and Social Care Level 2 qualification, as well as continuing her care sector training with the care organisation. Her mentor and Pendine Park tutor, Jenna Evans, nominated Ms Satterthwaite for the award, saying she has shown 'indomitable levels of courage' in achieving all she has done in recent years. She said: "Emily's journey is a testament to her resilience, dedication, and commitment to health and social care. "It is remarkable and truly admirable that, despite being diagnosed with Crohn's Disease, Emily still chose to work in care. "She has shown such commitment given all the ongoing hardships she and her family have faced." Ms Satterthwaite's ultimate goal is to become a nurse, a job she hopes to pursue after achieving her Level 3 qualification. She said: "It's been my ambition ever since I was a child. "Gaining my nursing qualification would be a dream come true for me. "I would love to work as a palliative nurse in a care home." Ms Satterthwaite's mum, Diane Marie Bunn, who is also a carer at Penybryn, said she is 'enormously proud' of her daughter and 'constantly amazed' at her inner strength. She said: "Emily has been through so much since her teenage years but she has always fought so hard to achieve her ambitions, I could not be more proud of her. "She is an inspiration to me and to others. "It's wonderful to see how much she has progressed, and I'm so pleased for her attaining the Learner of the Year award, she thoroughly deserves it." READ MORE: 'It's so rewarding' – Wrexham volunteer reflects on vital ambulance role Penybryn manager Tracey Cuthill also praised Ms Satterthwaite, saying: "We're all incredibly proud of what Emily has achieved. "Her commitment to learning is truly heroic given everything she has had to overcome to achieve such remarkable success. "She is a credit to herself, a credit to her family, and a credit to Pendine and a role model for all who aspire to be the best they can be."
North Wales Live
2 days ago
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‘At 15 I had to relearn how to walk and I thought my life was over - Now I'm climbing Snowdon'
On June 28th, a whole lot of titanium and stainless steel will be marching up Mount Snowden, holding up the spines of a group of Scoli-Warriors in honour of Scoliosis Awareness Month and to raise funds for the Scoliosis Support and Research charity. Physiotherapist Emily Kyte-Hale will be one of them, completing a challenge she never thought would be possible when she was learning how to walk at the age of 15. She told Reach: 'I don't think I ever would have believed it.' Emily was originally diagnosed with scoliosis, a lateral curvature of the spine, at 14 with a curve so intense she was scheduled for surgery soon after and skipped over the bracing phase most patients do first. This operation fuses the spine with rods, screws and pins to straighten the curvature. When the fusion extends to the lumbar spine like Emily's does, it can cause a lot of difficulty and restrictions. She recalled: 'I was a really keen dancer in figure skater prior. Literally the first thing I said when I woke up was; 'Oh, I can move my toes?' because they freak you out (going into surgery) they read you that long list of things that can go wrong. 'So I was thinking; 'That's it, life's over, I'm gonna be paralyzed' and obviously for some people they do have that experience. I'm very lucky to have gone through the op without any complications. 'But learning to walk was possibly the hardest thing that I've ever done in my life and coming out of that hospital bed and proving to myself over and over, that I am strong. I've got that power in me to go and achieve amazing things, despite my spine and with my spine.' Looking towards her newest challenge, Emily hopes it can show other young people facing spinal fusions that their life won't be ending on the operating table. She shared: 'I think my little 15-year-old self would be incredibly proud and empowered, especially to know I was doing it with so many other people with a fusion, because at that time, I didn't know anybody.' It won't be an easy feat though and there are a few more risks than the average hiking group: 'With a more severe scoliosis you can have things like limits to lung function but I think pain and fatigue are going to be the main things. 'The reality is everyone climbing up with us has got a spinal fusion. A lot of us are struggling and we haven't got the confidence to move. I think it's going to be quite an emotional day, a lot of the people on the track have never met somebody else with a fusion before.' In light of Scoliosis Awareness Month, the physio also hopes better awareness can also bring more patience and accommodations for people with scoliosis: 'Any hidden disability or hidden condition is really difficult to speak to people about, and it's difficult to ask for help with. 'If we can have a little bit of patience for people who do need a bit of extra support, especially at work, maybe in a relationship, if people could be a little more patient and understanding that we are dealing with a load of metal work or a curvy spine. I think that would work wonders.' Most people are diagnosed between the ages of 10 and 15,and eight out of 10 cases have an unknown cause, meaning most parents don't even know what their child is being diagnosed with let alone how to spot it. A major theme in this year's awareness month is early detection, urging parents to check their child's back for any asymmetry or abnormality using the ABCD method. After the surgery, Emily was able to return to her dance and figure skating, but it was actually when she took a desk job after school that her back started to become a problem. So she started trying out some exercise classes, which turned into becoming a Pilates instructor and quickly snowballed from there. Now, Emily is a chartered physiotherapist specialising in scoliosis and spinal fusions. She said: 'I'm using my best knowledge of physio and my best knowledge with the fusion myself, but there's no research on it. It's really difficult to know exactly what we need long term.' For anyone with a sedentary lifestyle, with or without spinal fusions, Emily shared a quick easy stretch you can do at a desk, in an office or just in your bedroom that your spine will thank you for. Holding onto something for support, put your outer foot behind you slightly and put the same hand over your head, leaning towards the support and repeating this stretch on both sides. For people with scoliosis, Emily is encouraging them to have more confidence: 'We look at our x-rays and you see that your spine is on its own crazy path, but you can't see all the ligaments, the muscles, the tendons that are holding your spine in place. 'The really important piece of that puzzle is having confidence in your own spine that you're not going to snap. You're not going to do damage, and that's why building up slowly is important, and that is especially key.' She also urged people to keep their surgeon's guidelines in mind too. As for those terrifying restrictions she was confronted by at 15? Emily says the toughest obstacle she has at the moment is doing up her seat belt in the car: 'It's the silly little things that your body maybe can't twist as much to do a certain movement, but you find your own ways around stuff and your body is fantastic at adapting.'
