Submitted by J. Hudson on Thu, 22/05/2025 - 13:41
This Veterinary Nurse Awareness Month, we're proud to shine a spotlight on one of our dedicated and long-serving veterinary nurses, Ceri Lehrer - who has spent the past 17 and a half years working with us at the Queen’s Veterinary School Hospital, caring for patients and supporting our veterinary team.
What makes Ceri’s story especially inspiring is that, in 2010, she was diagnosed with Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) Disease - a rare genetic condition that affects the peripheral nerves. It can cause muscle weakness, reduced coordination, and fatigue, making daily tasks and physical work more challenging.
Ceri says, “I feel tired and need to sit down more often than other people, as the fatigue and muscle weakness can make me unsteady on my feet. With the help of braces (AFOs) and a few very small changes to the way I work, I’m still able to do the job I love and feel like an included, valued part of the team.”
Reasonable adjustments can make a world of difference - allowing skilled, experienced colleagues like Ceri to continue thriving in their roles. Her story reflects an important, ongoing conversation within the veterinary profession.
The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS), in partnership with the Mind Matters Initiative, has launched the Let’s Talk Adjustments campaign to help empower workplaces to do exactly that. The campaign aims to raise awareness and provide practical support for conversations around disability, long-term health conditions, and reasonable adjustments in all veterinary settings.
Ceri hopes that by sharing her experience, she can encourage others living with a health condition or disability to pursue and thrive in, a veterinary career.
“I want young people to know that having a condition like mine doesn’t mean you can’t work in the career you want, like veterinary medicine. With small changes and support from your colleagues, there are ways to make it work — you don’t have to give up on your dream.”
We’re proud to have Ceri as part of our dedicated team of veterinary nurses and to champion inclusive practices that not only build a skilled and compassionate workforce but also embrace flexibility. By making thoughtful adjustments when needed, we ensure colleagues like Ceri feel valued and supported, creating a stronger, more diverse, and empathetic veterinary nursing team - benefiting our hospital, our patients, and the profession as a whole.
