The Laura Turnbull Bursary – Inspiring Students to Make a Difference
The College of Animal Welfare (CAW) is proud to announce the establishment of the Laura Turnbull Bursary, a new annual award in memory of former veterinary nursing student, Laura Turnbull. The bursary, jointly funded by the College and Laura’s family, aims to honour Laura’s legacy and passion for veterinary nursing by inspiring and enabling other student veterinary nurses to make meaningful contributions to the field and support projects that reflect Laura’s spirit and remarkable dedication and care to animals.
Remembering Laura
Laura was an extraordinary person whose life was marked by her unwavering commitment to animal welfare and her compassion for others. Laura’s love of animals started early; from a young age she loved horse riding and would spend her Sundays working at local riding stables, mucking out, in order to get a free riding lesson.
After finishing school, she undertook a degree in Zoology at Leeds University and during that time she did voluntary work with the organisation Africat in Nambia working with Cheetahs; this would turn out to ignite a passion for travel and be the first of many destinations that Laura would discover. After graduating in 2010, she spent two years travelling to far away places including Australia and South East Asia. Following that, in 2013, she undertook voluntary work teaching children at the Steven Tito Institute in Tanzania, a charity that supports children from families affected by HIV/AIDS, mental illness and poverty.
In 2014, Laura recognised her ambition to train as a veterinary nurse and so her journey at The College of Animal Welfare (CAW) began whilst on work placement at Bramley Vets4 Pets. Laura quickly established herself as a bright, dedicated, and compassionate student. Her passion for veterinary nursing was evident in everything she did, from her academic pursuits to her interactions with both animals and people. Very sadly, half-way through her training in 2015, Laura was diagnosed with Breast Cancer at the age of just 27. She undertook gruelling rounds of radiotherapy, chemotherapy, surgery and hormone treatment but, despite being very unwell, Laura was absolutely determined to continue her studies and, in 2016, she qualified as a veterinary nurse, picking up the Best Final Year Veterinary Nursing Student Award at the annual CAW awards ceremony.
Sarah, Laura’s Clinical Coach, recalls: “Laura in Latin stands for success and honour. Laura was just that an honour to teach and guide through her veterinary nursing as her clinical coach and by god was she successful. After her diagnosis it was advised for her to defer but, no, she was a determined one who knew what she wanted. When I visited her in hospital she didn’t want chocolates grapes but a stack of veterinary books and my practice quizzes. She was my first student and together we succeeded her dream. She always said she owed me a lot for sticking by her and making her the nurse she was, but I was the lucky one to have met her and for the friendship we had!”
Laura’s good friend and colleague at Bramley Vets for Pets, Sheli, worked with her during her veterinary nurse training, “I first met Laura in 2015 at Bramley Vets for Pets. I had seen her in passing and, on this particular day, I noticed that she had ‘different’ hair, from the day before. It was long this day and the day before it was short. Thinking eh what’s going on here, I asked her “Didn’t you have different hair yesterday?” Her sarcastic but laughing reply “Er, it’s a wig!” As if to say are you really that stupid??? We belly laughed and that was it, it was the start of our friendship. As a nurse, even in her early days as a student, her care and compassion were unmatched. She was deeply loved by everyone she encountered—patients, colleagues, and animals alike.
Beyond her professional life, she dedicated herself to raising awareness for breast cancer. In 2019, Laura, her clinical coach Sarah, and I won a competition to be part of the Mark’s and Spencer’s Breast Cancer Now Campaign, that was to show how friendships made in many ways, can help women with cancer get through their treatment. Laura and I also ran two half marathons together and organised a ‘Ladies Night’ for Breast Cancer Action Group (a local Leeds charity that Laura was involved in) with Team Bramley; raising £5.5K – she was very proud of this.”
Sheli continued, “She always wanted us, as family, friends, colleagues to continue to raise awareness of Breast Cancer. Before she passed, I found a company that were preparing a charity cycle in India in November 2023. I rung her up and told her I am off to India for you, to raise money for Breast Cancer Now, Ovarian and Cervical Cancer and I am cycling 224 miles over 4.5 days! Her reply “Sheli, can you EVEN ride a bike?!” Her final thoughts to me on it were that you really can do anything you set your mind too. Laura cared about everything—people, animals, and the world around her—and she lived her life with a passion that inspired those who knew her. She made sure that her life was full of purpose, and she encouraged others to do the same.“
In 2017, Laura moved to India to work as a veterinary nurse and was instrumental in improving the standards of veterinary care out there. She wrote protocols and best practice procedures, and helped to train the veterinary care assistants; both of which have had a long lasting impact.
In 2019, whilst still working out in India, Laura began suffering from back pain and scans revealed that she had secondary breast cancer in her spine. She quickly packed up her things and flew home to the UK to begin further treatment but unfortunately was informed that her cancer was uncurable. Whilst undergoing treatment, Laura’s focus turned to getting her rescued street dog, Tobi, back to the UK from India. She had had no choice but to leave Tobi behind when she left India as she needed to get back home quickly but, after fundraising efforts, enough money was raised to bring him back to the UK and reunite him with Laura.
Later in 2019, determined to continue working as a veterinary nurse, she got a job at Paragon referrals in Wakefield where she worked for the next three years; even working throughout the Covid 19 pandemic despite being vulnerable herself. In 2020, after Tobi sadly passed away, Laura adopted a one-eyed street dog from Romania, Kobi.
Her passion and commitment to veterinary nursing was an inspiration to all. During her time working at Paragon, her work colleagues managed to raise £8,000 to help Laura to fulfil some of her bucket list dreams which included travelling to New York at Christmas, Italy, Krakow, Kefalonia and India during the latter part of 2022.
Her colleague and good friend Stacy Carlton, who worked with Laura at Paragon, said “Laura was a fantastic RVN and person to work with, her commitment to her patients was outstanding, the team loved her, and her team work and dedication. She never gave up, she wanted to live and encouraged everyone to do what you want, don’t let anything stop you. A true inspiration, a true and loyal friend. We miss you. Forever in our hearts”.
Tragically, Laura passed away in January 2023 at the age of 35.
Laura epitomised the very essence of what a good veterinary nurse should be; she was devoted to providing all her patients with the very best of care, she advocated for all the animals she met, she was a role model, exceptional colleague, and continues to be a source of inspiration to all who knew her. She lived life to the full and absolutely loved, and was very proud to be, a veterinary nurse.
The Laura Turnbull Bursary
The Laura Turnbull Bursary has been established to keep Laura’s story alive and to inspire and enable student veterinary nurses to make a difference. The bursary will provide financial support for projects that align with Laura’s values and interests, allowing the exploration of new ideas and contribution to the advancement in the veterinary nursing field, such as:
- Animal Research Projects: Encouraging innovative research to improve veterinary practices and animal welfare.
- Community Outreach Projects: Supporting initiatives that promote veterinary nursing and animal welfare within local communities.
- Alternative Medicine: Exploring and integrating alternative medical practices in veterinary care.
- One Health Initiatives: Fostering interdisciplinary collaborations that benefit both human and animal health.
The bursary is open to all current and former veterinary nursing students of The College of Animal Welfare and the winner will be awarded £1,000 to enable their work.
How to Apply
To apply, applicants should prepare a detailed proposal outlining their intended project. The application should include a personal statement explaining how the project aligns with Laura’s legacy and why they are passionate about the chosen area of focus. Please note, the project should be completed within 12 months of receipt of the award.
An application form can be downloaded here.
All applications for the 2025 award must be received no later than 30 September 2025. The winner will be announced at the College’s 2025 Student Awards Ceremony.
We look forward to seeing the incredible projects that students will develop and the positive impact they will have.
Check Your Breasts
We would also like to take this opportunity to raise awareness of breast cancer and the importance of checking your breasts on a regular basis and getting anything suspicious checked out without delay. Anyone can be affected by breast cancer; the sooner the cancer is found, the more successful the treatment is likely to be. Below are some of the things that you should look out for:
- A lump or swelling in the breast, upper chest or armpit
- A change to the skin, such as puckering or dimpling
- A change in the colour of the breast – the breast may look darker, red or inflamed
- A nipple change, for example it has become pulled in (inverted)
- Rash or crusting around the nipple
- Unusual liquid (discharge) from either nipple
- Changes in size or shape of the breast
If you notice any of these things, please make an appointment with your GP as soon as possible.
During her lifetime, Laura did a number of fundraising events for breast cancer charities, as well as fronting a Marks & Spencer and Breast Cancer Now campaign for breast cancer awareness month. She also took part in an educational video produced by Vet Your Breasts, a non-profit organisation set up to remind and educate members of the veterinary community on the importance of regularly checking your yourself. You can watch the video by clicking on the image below:
