'It's been a privilege for me to go on these journeys with families and to help them in any way I can'...

Martina Russell's nursing career began almost 38 years ago, with the Summerhill native devoting the last two decades of her life to palliative care nursing. As she retires, she sat down with Holly Alder to reflect on how fulfilling her role was and how she will miss the patients and families dearly...

Twenty-two years of care and friendship have come to a close for Martina Russell, who has dedicated the last two decades of her life to palliative care nursing. The end of a chapter that is more of a 'see you later' rather than a goodbye to her patients and colleagues, Martina looks back fondly on the friendships and heartwarming times over the years.

Martina began her general nursing journey almost 38 years ago, beginning her training in England and moving back to Ireland before becoming a palliative care nurse in 2004. Originally from Dangan in Summerhill, Martina and her family are residing in Navan for the last 15 years. Martina has been a significant part of many Meath families' lives, caring for their loved ones and forming bonds with them along the way.

Palliative care has changed over the years of Martina's career, now being defined as caring for anyone with a life limiting illness. Martina's role involved managing patients symptoms and being an all-round support for the loved ones of the patient.

She said: "We walk the journey with the families while guiding them and accommodating to what they want for their loved one."

While the job was tough, Martina spoke of how fulfilling her time as a palliative care nurse was.

"Many communities in Meath have raised money for us and given back to us. We have so much support. I will miss the patients and families dearly. I've worked a long time over in Bettystown, Laytown, Gormanstown and Ashbourne. I've grown to know not just patients and families, but so many GPs and public health nurses who are just phenomenal, too. It is a big chapter of my life that will be closing."

When Martina officially retires on October 4th 2026, she will have already set off on the Camino de Santiago to reflect and mark the end of an era with her gym, Navan-based Dan Glynn Coaching.

"I've truly loved every minute of my career. My team here are fantastic and I've made friends for life. My sidekick in work is Yvonne Cahill who is one of the social workers and we have been together in work for over 20 years."

Martina looked back on what has changed over her years nursing, from going from being based in a little room in Navan Hospital when she started, to being in the fabulous HSE Primary Care building in Kells.

When asked about her post-retirement plans, aside from commemorating her years by walking the Camino, Martina wants to spend as much time with her family and friends as possible.

"The standing joke is that I brought the job home with me because I met my husband, Donagh Russell, when I was caring for his first wife Sheila around 18 years ago. I inherited a wonderful family of two step-sons, Peter and George, and step-daughter, Emma. I now have two beautiful grandchildren, Amy and Hannah O'Sullivan and a wonderful son-in-law, Patrick O'Sullivan. Donagh and I have been married 16 years now."

My mother is also in her 80s, so I plan to spend a lot of time with her."

Martina explained that sometimes it is difficult to leave work at the door when you are in the nursing field, especially when working with children.

"My husband has been a great help and he knows when I've had a difficult or emotional day. He takes my bags off me and we go for something to eat. You have to sometimes just put your big girl pants on and say 'this isn't about me, it's about the family and the patient.'"

"In this job, you don't toughen up, you just have to put your game face on, and give a little bit of yourself to get something back. Having a great support system is really important."

"Every family you meet is going through something different, and it's been a privilege for me to be able to go on these journey's with those families and to help them in any way I can."

Martina particularly wants to thank all of her colleagues in her team, and those that she has worked the longest with, specifically her boss Eileen Carruthers, Director of Nursing, Liz O'Loughlin, Team Manager, Aisling O'Gorman, Consultant in Palliative Care, who she has worked with for almost 30 years, Yvonne Cahill, Medical Social Worker, Paula Kelly, Senior Occupational Therapist, David McLure, CNS, who she jokes is her "work husband" and her family, who have given her unconditional support over the years.