After her dad's heart attack, Sarah lept into nursing and never looked back - "It's hard work but the community is everything"
The Journey into Nursing
Sarah Mcleod is now a determined second-year Child Health Nursing student at Edinburgh Napier University. Although she was surrounded by healthcare professionals—her mum and several close relatives—she never considered nursing until a family crisis changed everything.
"This time last year my dad had a heart attack. The care and love the medical and nursing staff gave my dad was incredible. I remember turning around and saying to my mum, "I want to do something like this and make a change in someone's life".
That moment sparked Sarah’s life-changing decision: to retrain, dedicate herself to nursing, and never look back. Her goal? To be an inspiring role model for her young son, giving him "a better life—for us, and for him."
Community in and out of the classroom
Returning to education as a mature student, Sarah worried about fitting in—but worried for nothing. From day one, a WhatsApp group formed among her classmates, growing quickly into a close-knit network offering support, shared placements, study sessions, and social nights out.
Sarah reflects, "Helping out and checking in is a huge part of Napier… I’d go out of my way to help anybody, no matter if they’re on my course”.
This innate culture of camaraderie—that strong Napier community spirit—has been her anchor, helping her balance study, parenting, and personal growth.
Sarah’s journey—from worried daughter to confident future nurse— reminds us that courage and connection can take root at any stage of life—and that, sometimes, the most defining choices come after our hardest days.