6: Karen O'Neill: The Travel Bug & Being Human

The Fuck It Moments Podcast

Life as an emergency department nurse in the NHS is probably manic enough for most people to handle. But it's not the only thing which drives 37 year-old Karen O'Neill - so does travelling the world. You'd probably be imagining she loves escaping to far away islands watching sunsets and backpacking across Australia with a pal or two…and yes, that's definitely been some of her experiences. But what really makes her come alive in telling her travel stories is the work she's done - sometimes for free - on some of the biggest humanitarian aid projects in the world. Recently, Karen's eyes were opened after working on a search and rescue ship off the Libyan coast. Collecting dead bodies from the sea, saving those moments from drowning, and meeting mothers who had been separated from their children were just all part of the daily schedule for her and team. So what makes someone like Karen want to 'do' not just 'watch' when it comes to helping others? In her first meeting with host Clare Freeman, she reveals the truth about what makes her tick, some of the biggest 'fuck it moments' of her life and how a career dedicated to caring for others across the globe has changed her perspective - forever.