The arts for Health and Wellbeing Team is proud to present ‘Wonder’ an original work by Joy Whitlock, a colleague at Cardiff and Vale UHB.
By the time Joy retires in March 2023 she will have been in the NHS for almost 45 years during which she has worked with many amazing colleagues. She started her career as a student nurse in St Bartholomew’s Hospital School of Nursing, London in May 1978. Marriage took her to Bristol where she worked in various nursing roles from cardiac surgery to practice nursing.
For the past (almost) 19 years she has been in Cardiff and Vale supporting various improvement initiatives. She was an improvement advisor with the 1000 Lives Campaign which started to shape improvement in NHS Wales. Joy has also been an integral part of the Leading Improvement in Patient Safety (LIPS) programme was established in the UHB which ran for 6 years until COVID struck.
Joy grew up believing she was ‘rubbish’ at art so the only drawings she did were anatomical for exams. 5 years ago she needed to take her remaining annual leave but wanted to stay home to be near her mother-in-law who was poorly. She took the opportunity to explore painting. Joy loved the idea of throwing paint at a canvas – quite cathartic!
She feels that Art is about enjoying the creative process. Joy cycled to a shop to buy art supplies and came home with 2 bags of things swinging from her handlebars and tentatively started her first painting. Joy plans to use some of her retirement to do more mindful, creative activities and go to classes to learn new techniques. She also loves walking so will be out with the Ramblers to keep fit. And, of course, she will spend more time with her wonderful family being Nanna to her gorgeous grandson.

Wonder gan Joy Whitlock
Mae Tîm y Celfyddydau ar gyfer Iechyd a Lles yn falch o gyflwyno ‘Wonder’, gwaith gwreiddiol gan Joy Whitlock, cydweithiwr yn BIP Caerdydd a’r Fro
Erbyn i Joy ymddeol ym mis Mawrth 2023 bydd hi wedi bod yn y GIG am bron i 45 mlynedd, ac yn ystod y cyfnod hwnnw mae hi wedi gweithio gyda llawer o gydweithwyr anhygoel.
Dechreuodd ei gyrfa fel myfyriwr nyrsio yn Ysgol Nyrsio Ysbyty St Bartholomew, Llundain ym mis Mai 1978. Wedi iddi briodi aeth i Fryste lle bu’n gweithio mewn rolau nyrsio amrywiol o lawfeddygaeth y galon i nyrsio practis.
Am y 19 mlynedd diwethaf (bron) mae hi wedi bod yng Nghaerdydd a’r Fro yn cefnogi mentrau gwella amrywiol. Roedd hi’n gynghorydd gwella gyda’r Ymgyrch 1000 o Fywydau a ddechreuodd lunio gwelliant yn GIG Cymru. Mae Joy hefyd wedi bod yn rhan annatod o’r rhaglen Arwain Gwelliant mewn Diogelwch Cleifion (LIPS) a sefydlwyd yn y BIP a oedd yn rhedeg am 6 blynedd nes i COVID gyrraedd.
Ers yn blentyn, mae Joy wedi credu ei bod hi’n dda i ddim mewn gwaith celf, felly’r unig ddarluniau roedd hi’n eu gwneud oedd rhai anatomegol ar gyfer ei harholiadau. Bum
mlynedd yn ôl roedd angen iddi gymryd gweddill ei gwyliau blynyddol ond roedd eisiau aros adref i fod yn agos at ei mam-yng-nghyfraith a oedd yn wael. Manteisiodd ar y cyfle I archwilio paentio. Roedd Joy wrth ei bodd â’r syniad o daflu paent at gynfas – teimlad eithaf cathartig!
Mae hi’n teimlo bod Celf yn ymwneud â mwynhau’r broses greadigol. Seiclodd Joy i siop i brynu nwyddau celf, a death adref gyda dau fag o bethau’n hongian oddi ar ei beic, a dechreuodd yn betrus ar ei phaentiad cyntaf.
Mae Joy yn bwriadu defnyddio rhywfaint o’i hymddeoliad I wneud gweithgareddau mwy ystyriol, creadigol a mynd I ddosbarthiadau i ddysgu technegau newydd. Mae hi hefyd wrth ei bodd yn cerdded felly bydd yn mynd allan gyda’r Cerddwyr i gadw’n heini. Ac, wrth gwrs, bydd hi’n treulio mwy o amser gyda’i theulu hyfryd yn bod yn Fam-gu i’w hŵyr annwyl.