Today, the Junior Carers had an informative visit to the hospital, where they met Andre, an asthma nurse, who taught them all about asthma. He explained that asthma is a lung condition and showed a video to help them understand what causes it. The children learned that during an asthma attack, it may seem like a person is struggling to breathe in but they are actually having difficulty breathing out. Andre used model bronchi to demonstrate how an asthmatic person’s airways can become irritated, swollen, and filled with mucus, making it harder to breathe. He also discussed the importance of having an asthma action plan to help prevent and manage symptoms. The Junior Carers had the opportunity to see different types of inhalers and a peak flow meter, deepening their understanding of how asthma is treated.

Nursing

After learning about asthma, the Junior Carers met Sharon and Arran, two senior nurses at the hospital, who spoke about their careers in nursing. They shared how they trained at the Royal Berkshire Hospital’s nursing college and gained experience working in different hospital wards before both specialising in cardiology. They explained how rewarding it is to help patients recover from heart attacks and support them in leading healthier lifestyles. Arran also spoke about his experiences travelling to different parts of the world to recruit nurses for the hospital. To end the session, Sharon invited the Junior Carers to design posters about nursing to be displayed at the hospital’s annual nursing conference.

After lunch, our next session focused on heart health with Lucia, a nurse who taught us all about the heart. Did you know that the heart beats around 100,000 times a day and pumps approximately 5 litres of blood through a network of blood vessels, delivering oxygen and nutrients to the body? Lucia shared fascinating facts, such as how the digestive system is the first organ to shut down, while the heart is the last. We also learned that the fairy fly has the smallest heart, while the whale has the largest of any mammal. Interestingly, a woman's heart beats slightly faster than a man's, and even laughing is good for heart health, as it reduces stress and boosts the immune system. After exploring these incredible facts, we took part in various activities related to heart health, with our favourite being the chance to use a stethoscope to listen to our own heartbeats.

To end our visit, we explored the Jim Shahi Unit, part of the hospital’s cardiology department. There, we met Jobin, a radiographer, who showed us an intervention room where heart X-rays are taken. He explained how they use imaging technology to examine the heart and even showed us real X-ray images on the screen. When Amayiah asked if she could sit on the bed, Jobin jokingly replied, "Sure - just as long as you give me £65,000 first!" He also showed us some of the stents used in heart procedures and explained how vital they are, despite costing hundreds of pounds each. It was a fascinating insight into the work that goes on behind the scenes to help people with heart conditions.