
Wrexham woman wins Coleg Cambria Learner of the Year award
She was selected by a judging panel for the Delivery Partner Learner of the Year accolade, recognising her work.
The 34-year-old has been at the care home for six years and has managed to excel in her Level 3 qualification course despite experiencing years of ill health and the death of her father, Keith Richard Bunn, two years ago.
As well as battling Crohn's disease herself, she has supported her mum and partner through cancer diagnoses.
Ms Satterthwaite, of Coedpoeth, said she 'could not be more delighted' and sees it as a tribute to her late father, her loving family, and herself.
She said: "He was a real fighter and believed in carrying on as best you can whatever the odds.
"He instilled in me a phenomenal work ethic which I will always be grateful for."
Ms Satterthwaite regularly leads the night shift and has achieved a Health and Social Care Level 2 qualification, as well as continuing her care sector training with the care organisation.
Her mentor and Pendine Park tutor, Jenna Evans, nominated Ms Satterthwaite for the award, saying she has shown 'indomitable levels of courage' in achieving all she has done in recent years.
She said: "Emily's journey is a testament to her resilience, dedication, and commitment to health and social care.
"It is remarkable and truly admirable that, despite being diagnosed with Crohn's Disease, Emily still chose to work in care.
"She has shown such commitment given all the ongoing hardships she and her family have faced."
Ms Satterthwaite's ultimate goal is to become a nurse, a job she hopes to pursue after achieving her Level 3 qualification.
She said: "It's been my ambition ever since I was a child.
"Gaining my nursing qualification would be a dream come true for me.
"I would love to work as a palliative nurse in a care home."
Ms Satterthwaite's mum, Diane Marie Bunn, who is also a carer at Penybryn, said she is 'enormously proud' of her daughter and 'constantly amazed' at her inner strength.
She said: "Emily has been through so much since her teenage years but she has always fought so hard to achieve her ambitions, I could not be more proud of her.
"She is an inspiration to me and to others.
"It's wonderful to see how much she has progressed, and I'm so pleased for her attaining the Learner of the Year award, she thoroughly deserves it."
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Penybryn manager Tracey Cuthill also praised Ms Satterthwaite, saying: "We're all incredibly proud of what Emily has achieved.
"Her commitment to learning is truly heroic given everything she has had to overcome to achieve such remarkable success.
"She is a credit to herself, a credit to her family, and a credit to Pendine and a role model for all who aspire to be the best they can be."
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Daily Mirror
20 hours ago
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20 hours ago
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My mind runs so quickly. When I took ket everything slowed down. "I felt like a failure with every step I went through in life. I was clever in school, but I could never sustain it when I got to exams. I couldn't keep up with education, I couldn't keep up with work, and I was having run-ins with the police. I was so depressed, I honestly thought I'd never escape it and I'd never be happy without it. "The last few months before rehab were getting out of bed to see a dealer and then coming back home and sniffing in my room. That was it." Emily dropped out of sixth form so ketamine could become "more accessible". She continued: "Drugs weren't really a thing in sixth form. I ended up going to a [different college] with a friend who also used. "I dropped out a few months in because I couldn't afford to feed my addiction. I started working full-time, swapping jobs, and then I went on sick leave for a couple of months. "Eventually I went back to work because sick pay wasn't cutting it and I couldn't afford my drugs anymore." Despite being told she had multiple health issues, including a shrunken bladder, limited liver function and a risk of kidney failure, she carried on using, not believing she had a problem. She said: "I thought it's what everyone does. When you're an addict, your brain does anything to tell you you're not an addict. "If you're sitting in a room full of people who are also addicts, and you keep behaving like you don't have a problem by using together, you'll never realise that you actually do have a problem. And people also don't realise they have a problem because literally everyone does it. It's normal. "I only started realising I had a problem the last time I went on sick pay, a month before I went to rehab. I realised I wasn't able to maintain any kind of normal life while being addicted to ket. "Nothing was conducive to a normal lifestyle. I didn't sleep in the night; I slept in the day. I was living in my bed; I wouldn't shower, wouldn't get dressed. I wouldn't want to speak to anyone unless they were other users. "My life was just a big mess. I just knew I couldn't live like that anymore. But it was difficult because I couldn't go to one of my friends and tell them I had a problem. They were all addicts too." Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. She described ketamine use in Liverpool as a "crisis". She added: "The price has gone so much cheaper; you don't know what it's being bashed with. "It's everywhere. If I walked into Liverpool, I'd be able to spot numerous people who are on ket or people I used to use with. That's just the way it is right now." Emily began a rehabilitation programme at Birchwood Rehab in Heswall, Merseyside, in February, and now wants to offer help to other young people affected by addiction. She added: "I think it's important for people to understand that when you're an addict, you can't just put down a drug and stay clean; it doesn't work like that. "You have to change every aspect of your life. It's about looking at your spirituality and learning to do these small things, which will boost your mood. That's what helps you stay in recovery. I'd really recommend fellowship groups and engagement services. "Try to distance yourself from people who use. I've cut contact with people I know who used. There is some kind of hope out there. I'm sitting here, and I'm nearly five months clean. I never thought I would see that day. I thought I'd be using it until I die, or until I end my life. That's where I was at; I was just miserable. It sucked all the life out of me." According to the Office for National Statistics, 2.9 per cent of 16-24-year-olds reported using ketamine between April 2023 and March 2024, a slight reduction from a record high of 3.8 per cent the previous year. In January 2025, the Home Office said it was looking to seek expert advice on reclassifying it from controlled Class B to the more serious Class A. The maximum penalty for supply and production of ketamine is up to 14 years in prison, an unlimited fine, or both.