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<\/p>\nUniversity felt out of reach but the mum had a deep-seated desire to make a meaningful difference in people\u2019s lives<\/p>\n
From addiction to advocacy, Cheryl Mogey\u2019s recovery shaped her path to becoming a mental health
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From battling addiction and raising four children (with another on the way) to qualifying as a registered mental health nurse, Cheryl Mogey’s journey has been nothing short of inspirational, a testament to how courage, support and flexible learning can transform lives.<\/p>\n
Cheryl, 36, from Dungiven in Co Derry<\/a>, didn\u2019t always see nursing as possible. After completing her A-Levels<\/a>, she worked as a healthcare assistant, juggling family<\/a> responsibilities and frontline care.<\/p>\n University felt out of reach but Cheryl says a deep-seated desire to make a meaningful difference in people\u2019s lives stayed with her: \u201cWith being a mum<\/a>, the flexibility of getting time off for placements was really the only viable way I could have completed my degree.<\/p>\n READ MORE: ‘My undiagnosed ADHD hasn’t stopped me helping people in their most challenging moments’<\/a>READ MORE: ‘Losing my parents young inspired me to a greater calling in caring for others’<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cLearning from home at times that suited my family was incredible. Attending a brick university wouldn\u2019t have worked for me.\u201d<\/p>\n Study became part of daily life<\/a>, fitting around school runs, family routines, pregnancy and quiet evenings when the house was still. She made her home her classroom, creating a calm study sanctuary where candlelight and classical music helped bring focus and peace.<\/p>\n But life had deeper challenges still to test her. Midway through her degree, Cheryl faced one of the most difficult battles of her life: addiction. Eventually, she made the brave and humbling decision to seek help.<\/p>\n \u201cI took some time off the course to attend a rehab facility and came back sober, stronger and more determined than ever,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n Cheryl\u2019s recovery was not just about sobriety. It was a reshaping of her identity. She learned resilience, self-care and how to show up fully for others, qualities that would become central to her work as a future nurse.<\/p>\n University felt out of reach but Cheryl had a deep-seated desire to make a meaningful difference in people\u2019s lives<\/p>\n When she returned to her studies, Cheryl immersed herself in placements that pushed beyond theory and into real-world caring. One of her most meaningful experiences was working in addiction services, where her personal history became a powerful asset rather than a shadow.<\/p>\n \u201cHaving lived through addiction and recovery gives me insight that books can\u2019t teach,\u201c she says. \u201cI can connect with people on a human level, not just as a clinician, but as someone who truly understands the journey they are on.\u201d<\/p>\n Her mentors noticed it too. Supervisors encouraged her confidence, affirming that her empathy, strength and patience were rare gifts in nursing practice.<\/p>\n The Open University\u2019s response made all the difference, according to Cheryl: \u201cThe staff tutors were phenomenal when supporting me through this and remained non-judgmental. They cheered me on from the sidelines.\u201d<\/p>\n Now heading into her fourth year of sobriety, Cheryl has found renewed purpose, shaped powerfully by her lived experience.<\/p>\n Cheryl\u2019s achievements were formally recognised when she was named the winner of the NIPEC Open University Student Excellence Award, presented by the Northern Ireland Practice Education Council for Nursing & Midwifery, an accolade celebrating student nurses who demonstrate professionalism, commitment and compassionate practice and dedication throughout their training.<\/p>\n Cheryl\u2019s degree didn\u2019t just transform her qualifications, it changed her life<\/p>\n The award reflects not just academic success, but the values Cheryl brings to care, dignity, respect and a lived-experience lens that strengthens her connection with patients.<\/p>\n Cheryl\u2019s degree didn\u2019t just transform her qualifications, it changed her life. Upon graduating<\/a>, she moved from a Band 3 support role into a Band 5 Registered Mental Health Nurse position with the Belfast Health and Social Care Trust<\/a>.<\/p>\n And now she’ll be marking International Nurses Day 2026, celebrated on Tuesday, May 12, as a member of the profession.<\/p>\n \u201cIt has literally enabled me to get the job of my dreams,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n When Cheryl crossed the stage at The Open University Dublin<\/a> degree ceremony, she wasn\u2019t just collecting a qualification, she was celebrating sobriety, resilience, and a future defined not by her past, but by how far she has chosen to rise.<\/p>\n She believes that nurses with lived experience of recovery bring a unique voice to healthcare, one that can challenge stigma, inspire hope and offer real connection to people navigating their own challenges with addiction or mental health<\/a> struggles.<\/p>\n \u201cFor anyone thinking about nursing, or recovery, or going back to learning, know that it\u2019s possible. It\u2019s hard, but it\u2019s worth it.\u201d<\/p>\n![\"University](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/0_Cheryl-Mogey-Nursing-Tunic-photos-2.jpg\")
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