Penelope Hart-Spencer is a Health Play Specialist at the Proton Beam Therapy Centre at the Christie in Manchester and a member of the CCLG. In this role, she supports children undergoing cancer treatment who require CT/MRI scans, radiotherapy and proton beam therapy treatments, as well as other clinical procedures.
Q: Tell us about your role in supporting children and young people with cancer and their families?
A: I’m based within the proton beam therapy centre and I support children and young people who require CT/MRI scans, radiotherapy and proton beam therapy treatments, as well as other clinical procedures. I work within the paediatric team and together, alongside my three health play specialist (HPS) colleagues, we ensure those in our centre receive the best care and a well supported experience during their time here.
Many of our families relocate to Manchester to receive their treatment, so we need to offer a high level of support to them. Being away from home with an unwell child can cause significant stress for parents and carers. We offer holistic care that focuses on the child and their family. We try to plan monthly entertainment events and have daily play and art and craft activities available for children and young people.
Q: What’s the proudest moment of your career so far?
A: I was part of the team which developed the paediatric service for the UK’s first proton beam therapy centre here at The Christie. I liaised with architects about the design of spaces for children and families and led on the patient information development for children and young people. I arranged a focus group of children who we’d referred overseas for proton beam therapy to help with the design of the booklets and the creation of our mascot ‘Proton Panda’, who’s featured in the booklets and within the designs in our centre.
I also wrote a book which helps children understand hair loss caused by cancer treatments, published by CCLG. ‘Anna loses her hair’ was highly commended and shortlisted in the Children Award category at The British Medical Association Patient Information Awards, and CCLG has created an animation based on the book, too.
I’m also proud of obtaining a Master of Science in Contemporary Health Care – Cancer Care from Coventry University. This gave me a wealth of theoretical knowledge and a deeper understanding of the complexities in cancer care for teenagers and young adults, which has enhanced my work with our patients.
Being away from home with an unwell child can cause significant stress for parents and carers. We offer holistic care that focuses on the child and their family.
Q: What’s the most rewarding part of your job?
A: Helping children and young people understand their clinical procedures and working with them to alleviate their fears and anxieties. I love to empower them, and I’ll always do my best to ensure they receive ageappropriate information, and a tailored support plan that meets their needs. I feel particularly skilled in supporting families through their treatment pathways in a sensitive and caring way and when I see families become more settled, happy and confident, I know the team’s done a good job.
Q: What does your job mean to you?
A: Being a health play specialist is more than a job – it’s my vocation. I’m so passionate about the profession and love every aspect of my role. It’s a huge part of my life as I am a practicing HPS but also, as vice-chair of the Society of Health Play Specialists, a lot of my time is spent in this world!
I’ve never known such a varied role that offers so many opportunities to work alongside other health professionals to achieve the best outcomes for children and young people.
Q: Do you have a message for children with cancer and their families?
A: Get to know your healthcare team (especially the HPS team) and take every bit of support you can. Being in hospital and healthcare settings can be very isolating and lonely without the right support in place. I’d also encourage you to be kind to yourselves and take each day as it comes.
From Contact magazine issue 104 | Autumn 2024
