As one of the first women and qualified nurses to work in UK prisons as a Prison Hospital Officer, I share some of my stories of my experiences of prison life. I trained as a nurse in the 80s and after a period of time working in NHS and Private healthcare, I joined the HMP service. I worked in men's prisons and holding various medical roles. This is a talk about resilience, resisting prejudice and courage in the face of challenge and adversity. The talk offers an insight into leading in challenging circumstances. It offers humour as well as serious consideration of difficult situations.