Newly launched interprofessional masterclass series to honour exceptional young

The James Stewart Collaboration Masterclass Series has been created in the memory of a North-east youngster who was inspired to follow a career in healthcare, due to the compassion and dedication of the professionals caring for him after he was diagnosed with bone cancer.

Sadly, James passed away in March 2016 at the age of 16 and his family have welcomed the support of RGU, as many of the professionals who treated James were educated at the university.

The first masterclass in the series will be delivered by the School of Health Sciences and take place on Wednesday 7 November at 1.30pm, in the Sir Ian Wood Building at RGU’s Garthdee campus.

Laura Chalmers, senior lecturer in the School of Health Sciences and RGU’s Interprofessional Learning Academic Lead, has led the creation of the masterclass series.

She said: “The initial focus of this new series will be on health and I cannot overstate how honoured we are that James Stewart’s family will be in attendance at the first session.

“Over time, the intention is to widen the programme out to incorporate all areas across the university. Interprofessional working is relevant and essential in almost all professions and this series will celebrate the principles of teamwork that we place such an importance on at RGU.

“Developing talent and aspirations is at the heart of everything we do and this series will allow students, staff and alumni to showcase their abilities and realise their full potential.”

The first session – on Wednesday 7 November – will see Aberdeen-based artist Brian Keeley present his own experiences of healthcare, throughout his critical illness and subsequent heart transplant in 2013.

‘A Chance to Swim’, an exhibition of Brian’s recent artwork, will be displayed in the Sir Ian Wood Building for two weeks from 5th to 16th November. This body of work marks the fifth year of survival following his heart transplant and explores the sense of ‘identity’ associated with a very unique aspect of the human condition.

Laura added: “I am looking forward to bringing Brian’s story to a wider audience and letting people learn healthcare lessons from the patient’s perspective.

“It’s not all about providing a diagnosis or administering a treatment, but true care is also about acts of humanity and friendship. Those tiny moments of kindness that will last a lifetime for the patient and their loved ones – that is the real human face of healthcare.”

Anyone interested in attending the masterclass session can register by contacting Laura Chalmers directly at: IPL@rgu.ac.uk