RCN Rising Star awarded to Sexual Health and HIV Nurse
04 October 2022
Dwayne-Wilson (Dee) Hunt has been recognised for striving for justice and promoting wellbeing.
On Monday 3 October 2022, the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) announced that Dwayne-Wilson (Dee) Hunt, Charge Nurse at the St Stephen’s Centre, is one of 20 recipients of the Rising Star Award.
Now in their fifth year, the awards recognise nursing staff from London’s Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic community. The theme of the awards, and RCN’s Black History Month celebrations this year, is ‘anti-racism: striving for justice and promoting wellbeing’. This year’s Rising Stars have been recognised for taking their passion for justice and equality and using it to champion inclusion, to prioritise wellbeing for staff and patients, and to empower others.
As well as being a Sexual Health and HIV Charge Nurse for John Hunter Sexual Health and Kobler HIV OPD clinics, Dee is Chair of the Racially Minoritised Communities Special Interest Group, run by the British Association for Sexual Health and HIV (BASHH), which strives to improve access to sexual health care for Black, Asian and other racially minoritised communities in the UK.
On winning the award, Dee said: "It’s testament to my hard work and commitment to reducing health inequalities for racially minoritised communities within sexual health. I hope to inspire Black nurses, male nurses and nurses from different backgrounds to pursue their passions, and to support and improve health provision for our patients, especially those from minoritised communities."
On Monday 3 October, Dee spoke to BBC Radio London about what Black History Month means in 2022. Talking about this on the Eddie Nestor programme, he said: “I feel really honoured and proud to be Black. Our history is so rich, we were kings and queens before we were enslaved, and I think it’s just wonderful, it a great time to celebrate, and to just be Black and be present.”
Dee will be presented with his award at the RCN’s Black History Month event on 21 October.