Wigan Pride: Couple who met while working at hospital share their love story

Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is sponsoring today’s Wigan Pride to show its support for the LGBTQIA+ community.

Two members of staff looking forward to the celebration are Katie and Hayley Scarr, who both work in the cancer care centre – but it’s not just a workplace they share.

Hayley, a chemotherapy nurse said: “We first met in 2014 whilst working in the medical assessment unit. We became really close friends and it blossomed into a relationship in 2015, before we got married in Cornwall in 2019. It was such an amazing day."

Katie, a Macmillan information and support assistant, said: “It’s amazing to think back from when we first met to now. We’ve always had support from our colleagues and we’ve always enjoyed working at WWL in our various roles, because of the warm and welcoming environment everyone creates for each other.”

Hayley and Katie spent time working in different departments, but in 2021 they were reunited in the cancer care centre.

Hayley said: “We’ve never been treated any differently to anyone else and that’s what I love about being part of WWL.

"It’s a privilege to be able to work in the same trust as each other, let alone the same unit, and it’s amazing to share the same passion for healthcare that we do.”

Katie said: “The positivity leading up to Wigan Pride has been amazing and it’s really encouraging to see so many friends and colleagues getting involved. When you walk around the hospital, its lovely to see all the decorations people have put up.

"It’s going to be a brilliant day on Saturday and we’re both so happy to see how much support has been given to Wigan Pride by WWL this year.”

WWL's health outreach and inclusion team will be at Wigan Pride to give advice and on-the-day testing, while the breast screening service will provide information and support. The recruitment team will help people to find out more working or volunteering for WWL.