THE first woman to work as a carer for one of the UK’s biggest cancer charities carried out her work in York nearly 80 years ago, researchers have discovered.

Ruth Hurn was appointed as a carer for the York area in 1931, a job she carried out on a bicycle supplied by the charity, and one which saw her visit more than 2,400 people in one year.

Now, as Macmillan staff prepare for the charity’s 100th anniversary next year, they hope to contact surviving relatives of Ruth Hurn, who may be able to shed some more light on her work.

Ruth, alongside a fellow carer in London, where the forerunners of today’s Macmillan nurses.

Christine Pietrowski, who works from the charity’s York Office, said: “As far as we can tell, she wasn’t a nurse.

“She would have gone round to people’s homes making sure they were as comfortable as possible. “This was before the welfare state, so people who had cancer were in real difficulty. In 1931, it would have been about making life bearable. Today we make sure people come out the other side.

“A Macmillan nurse today is a very highly specialised nurse. They deal with the clinical and emotional side of cancer.”

While little is known of her career, records exist which show that Ruth was still working in 1938, and in that year visited some 2,473 York residents. It’s also known she established strong links with York City Health Department and was able to get use of the city ambulance to transport her patients to the radium centre in Leeds, where they were given radiotherapy treatment.

Mrs Pietrowski said: “Next year is our centenary and we’re trying to find out as much as possible about the early years of what is now Macmillan Cancer Support. “We would love to hear from any relatives of Mrs Hurn or anyone who or anyone who knows anything about her.

“We would also be very interested to hear from anyone who was a Macmillan nurse in the 1970s (the first Macmillan nurse was appointed in 1974) or remembers a Macmillan nurse caring for them or a relative in the 1970s.”

• Were you one of the first Macmillan nurses in the 1970s or do you have any memories of Ruth Hurn? If so get in touch with Richard Catton at The Press on 01904 653051 ext 311 or email richard.catton@thepress.co.uk


Early days in York

AFTER his father died of cancer in 1911, a young man named Douglas Macmillan founded the Society For The Prevention And Relief Of Cancer.

His father’s pain and suffering moved Douglas so much, he wanted advice and information to be provided to all people with cancer, homes for patients at low or no cost, and voluntary nurses to attend to patients in their own homes.

By 1932, the society had grown considerably and decided to appoint two fulltime paid “visitors” to cover London and York, where the society was particularly active.

Their role was to visit local people with cancer at home and in hospital to provide help and assess their need for a grant from the society.