Dedicated and modest Chesterfield healthcare assistant 'makes a little bit of difference to people' during 40-year career

Karen Shepherd started work at the age of 16 on a two-year Youth Training Scheme at Whittington Hall.

Working at the newly built Ash Green in Ashgate, Karen looked after people who had learning disabilities before she moved to Whitworth Hospital at Darley Dale to work on an elderly rehabilitation ward.

Karen, who lives at Wharf Lane, Stonegravels, left the NHS in 2019 to work as a healthcare assistant on the inpatient unit at Ashgate Hospice.

Her son Chris said: “My mother has devoted her life to caring for others with passion, empathy, and commitment. She has worked tirelessly over the years, providing care and making a positive impact in their lives. The number of lives that mum has touched over 40 years can not be measured and we would say this is a priceless contribution. However mum is very modest; when I asked her what is the best thing about her work over the 40 years she said 'being hands on and making that little bit of difference to people where I can'.

Karen, a lifelong resident of Chesterfield, took a year out of healthcare in 2013 to look after her late husband, Johnny, who died from cancer.

Chris and his sister, Helen, were inspired by their mum in their career choices and both became nurses. Helen, 32, is now a nurse lecturer at Derby University and Chris, 30, works in mental health services in Guernsey.