5 May 2021
The first and second recipients of the Louise O’Dwyer Bursary share how they are using their awards to continue their education in Miss O’Dwyer’s name.
Rachael Buzzel
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Lesley Moore, who knew Miss O’Dwyer well, applied for a bursary soon after it was announced.
Two RVNs have shared how the winnings of a bursary in memory of an inspirational and well-loved nurse has helped them follow their dreams.
The Louise O’Dwyer Bursary was created by Vets Now to celebrate the life of the much-loved RVN – one of the world’s leading emergency and critical care (ECC) nurses – who died suddenly in May 2019, as well as to ensure her passion for education continued to positively impact across the profession.
As applications open for this year’s bursary, the first two recipients have shared how honoured they are that Miss O’Dwyer’s legacy lives on and they are being helped to thrive in her name.
Lesley Moore – senior vet nurse at Vets Now’s Macclesfield clinic, who knew Miss O’Dwyer well – said: “She was just amazing. You always went away from one of Louise’s lectures having learned something. She was so bubbly and had such a presence that when she walked into a room, everybody knew she was there.
“If you ever had a complicated case, you knew you could turn to her for help. I was on a clinical shift when I heard she’d passed away. It was absolutely devastating.”
Mrs Moore applied for the bursary soon after it was announced and was thrilled to be awarded it.
She said: “When my name was read out as the winner at our congress in 2019, it took ages to sink in.
“Our then clinical director Amanda Boag knew Louise really well, so we were both very emotional when she presented it to me. It’s such an honour and especially to be the first person to receive it.”
Mrs Moore will be using the bursary to apply for the first part of the MSc in Veterinary Education at the RVC.
She said: “I would have done it last year, but COVID-19 left me with some operational challenges in the clinic, so I’m in the process of applying for it this year and will hopefully start in September.
“I’m really passionate about sharing my ECC knowledge with new staff and passing on what I know. I’m used to studying and I’m very happy to keep on doing it, especially with this bursary being in Louise’s name.”
Meanwhile, Sammy Keetley, vet nurse at Vets Now’s Lincoln clinic, became the second recipient of the bursary in December 2020. She is planning on putting the bursary towards a degree that will provide greater understanding of how to keep stressed animals calmer, both while being brought into the clinic and during treatment.
Miss Keetley, who is studying a 15-month master’s degree in clinical animal behaviour that she started in September 2020, said: “I wasn’t lucky enough to meet [Louise], but I saw her speak at congress when I was in my first year as a student nurse and she was just amazing. She was so engaging and inspiring that you couldn’t help but come away enthused.
“I still have her little green book with me all the time and I regularly pull it out for a look when I’m on shift. It’s really invaluable.”
The Louise O’Dwyer Bursary is open to Vets Now employees. For more information, contact Vets Now.
