More on KentOnline
More on KentOnline
Sarah Diamond is one of the 20,000 NHS staff who has returned to work to help in the coronavirus crisis.
But in addition to her new duties, the Deal mum of one is also using her social media account to highlight heroes working on the front line.
Her 'Hero of the Day' campaign launched last Monday and each day gives thanks and praise to a new individual who's working in the thick of the pandemic.
It has so far featured her friends including Pip, a 999 ambulance service worker, Sophie, a community nurse to COPD patients, and Tracy, a paediatric nurse of 11 years.
There's also a designated post to sister Ruth O’Brien, a chemotherapy nurse educator at Kent and Canterbury Hospital where Mrs Diamond returned for her first shift in 13 years, on Friday.
Introducing the campaign via @skinlabdealkent on March 23, she said: "I’m going to use my business platform to take you all on a journey through COVID-19.
"You will slowly but surely meet all of my wonderful colleagues who are going to fight this battle.
"I will also keep you up to date with my return to the NHS."
The 43-year-old business owner left the NHS 17 years ago to specialise in rare diseases and oncology for a private healthcare company.
She now works three days a week as the regional nurse manager for Wren Healthcare and two days in her own aesthetics and beauty clinic, SKINLAB.
Inspiration for the campaign stemmed from a post dedicated to her boss at Wren Healthcare, Iain Campbell, who went out of his way to source some PPE for the nurses working in high risk areas at William Harvey Hospital in Ashford.
She said: "I popped a little post up praising him and nonchalantly called it ‘Hero of the day’. It got me thinking.
"There are so many nurses out there that go above and beyond, not just through a crisis, but always, and why shouldn’t we celebrate them?
"I have been lucky to meet many wonderful colleagues in my career who I have featured, and there will be more to come.
"The response has been heart warming. Posts have reached up to 2,000 people with lovely supportive comments and gratitude shown.
"It gives these nurses, who are scared like everyone else, working tirelessy, and juggling children a nice little boost and vote of confidence.
"Some of them putting there own health at risk, having co-morbidities themselves."
Mrs Diamond's selfless act to return to the NHS comes as she's temporarily closed down her aesthetics and beauty business, SKINLAB - doing so ahead of government enforcement.
She and her business partner Vicky Brailsford had signed a lease to a new premises on The Strand in Walmer on Friday, March 13 but their plans remain at a standstill.
She said: "I had a natural urge to help with the current pandemic in some way.
"I have lots of clinical skills, particularly intravenous access and administration of multiple therapies.
"I knew I’d be needed somewhere so I reached out to a nurse I know who informed me I was needed. and it went from there."
Mrs Diamond was required to complete hours of mandatory training and worked her first shift on Friday, March 20 at Kent and Canterbury's chemotherapy unit, with more shifts scheduled.
She said: "It felt so rewarding to put my skills to use and support this service. The patients were so thankful too.
"I naturally had a sleepless night leading up to this and questioned what I was doing as I was getting ready to go, but on arrival I was warmly welcomed by everyone.
"The memories of a previous oncology role 13 years ago came flooding back. It’s the computer system I will struggle with!"
She is reminding people to take the pandemic seriously and follow government guidelines, for the sake of others.
She added: "If I could say one thing, it would be please take this seriously.
"By flouting the rules you are not only prolonging this disease, you are putting us, the frontline workers lives at risk."
