A selfless former pupil has been living at a regional hospital to lend her support to the fight against coronavirus.
Eli Wyatt, who left Rydal Penrhos in 2015, is currently a medical student at Cardiff University and moved miles away from her family in Monmouthshire to work and live on site at Ysbyty Glan Clwyd in Bodelwyddan.
She currently treating coronavirus and stroke patients and decided to volunteer after a plea for medical students and former NHS staff to provide their expertise during an unprecedented time of crisis.
Speaking to BBC Wales, Eli said: “To be able to help when I know that I’ve got the ability is a big privilege,” she said.
“I’ve always loved being part of a team… so being part of the wider team of the NHS at this point while we’re dealing with this crisis feels kind of empowering.”
Eli added that her family had been apprehensive about her volunteering amid the Covid-19 pandemic, but “knew” she had to.
The experience has brought with it some “demoralising” days treating patients who would not survive, which has been a real learning curve for the ex-pupil.
All final-year medical students will graduate early as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, but their placements were optional.
“It’s a really tough thing for people to go through, especially in this environment, because a lot of the time they’re going through it on their own without their families,” added Eli.