CELIA McIlvenny always has a big party to celebrate her birthday.
So to celebrate turning 80 last Thursday she invited some 120 friends, family members and colleagues to mark the occasion with a party on Saturday.
Among the guests were a number of doctors and nurses – not because she was in need of any medical help herself – but because after more than 60 years Celia still cares for patients a healthcare assistant at Noble’s Hospital.
The party, organised by her children, was held in the Promenade Suite at the Villa Marina, Douglas, including entertainment from Nigel Williams’ band.
When asked what she got out of her work, Celia said: ‘Satisfaction. A lot of satisfaction of helping the patients.
‘You can’t do enough for them.’
She added: ‘You come away thinking how lucky you are. I absolutely love it no matter how tired I am.’
Celia grew up in Worthenbury, near Wrexham. She explained that she always wanted to be a nurse.
When she was 16 she moved to Llandudno in North Wales where she worked as an ancillary at the cottage hospital there. She worked under Matron Briggs and when she moved to the island and called for Celia, Celia was happy to go too.
Celia started her nursing training at 18 – the minimum age.
During her career she has worked on and off at Noble’s Hospital, with periods at other establishments including Elder Grange nursing home and White Hoe.
Celia, who lives in Brunswick Road, Douglas, now works as a healthcare assistant at Noble’s Hospital at least three morning shifts a week. For the past 10 years she has worked mainly on ward one – male surgical.
When asked if she had ever considered retiring, Celia said: ‘No. I hope not. Never. I walk two or three miles every day with the dog.’
Celia said she had seen a number of changes since she started nursing at the advent of the National Health Service in 1948.
‘There is now a lot of writing because of litigation,’ she said.
And when she started there were no rubber gloves to wear when cleaning soiled sheets.
A highlight of her career was being able to carry on working while she brought up her three children.
Celia has survived her two husbands and she said that it was thanks to support she had received from staff at the hospital that she had been able to cope with her son John Crellin’s death at the 2009 TT. Her family also includes a step-daughter, an adopted daughter, seven grandchildren and four great grandchildren.