Black History Month is an opportunity to recognise and celebrate the invaluable contributions of black people to society and to the NHS. It also serves as an opportunity to inspire and empower future generations. This year, Black History Month is dedicated to honouring the achievements of black women who are often forgotten.
The theme of ‘Saluting our Sisters’ highlights the crucial role that black women have played in shaping history, inspiring change, and building communities.
We have been celebrating with our colleagues talking about their background, heritage and achievements. We held an event for staff and amongst other speaker the Trusts Non-Executive Director Gloria Hyatt who kindly shared with us her own personal journey and career path. It was fascinating to hear about the experiences which shaped her, and the positive influences she had in her life, to achieve great successes in education and with young people. From growing up, to being a successful athlete, gaining her master’s and becoming the first black head teacher in Liverpool - it was insightful and inspiring to listen to.
Gloria Hyatt, Non-Executive Director, LWH
We also look forward to live performance for staff by local musician Ogo Nzeakor as part of our celebrations throughout October.
Kemelo Mozila - Midwife
Born in Botswana, it was Kemelo's mother who had encouraged her to become a nurse. Asked what had made her choose a career in nursing, Kemelo explained "it was my mum's dream for me to become a nurse, she said I could be one of the greatest nurses ever."
Encouraged by her mum's words, Kemelo was able to secure a place at the Institute of Health Sciences where, after studying for 3 years, she obtained her General Nursing Diploma.
Changing from Nursing to Midwifery. Following her studies, Kemelo started her first role in Nyangabgwe Hospital, Francistown, the second largest city in Botswana and one of the country's largest hospitals. Whilst working there, Kemelo had her first baby and her experience of having her son gave her the idea of moving into midwifery, "I thought, this is what I could do. I loved it". An opportunity for a scholarship arose which would allow her to study midwifery and she grabbed it.
Looking to work in the UK. Once a qualified midwife, she started thinking about her next steps to advance her career. Looking for a different experience she got in touch with an international recruitment agency and got an interview with the Liverpool Women's Hospital, which on the day she was nervous for, but she worked hard in preparation.
Arriving in the UK. After receiving her job offer, Kemelo was looking forward to moving to the UK but as the weeks passed, she became more anxious and emotional about leaving her family in Botswana. When the day arrived and she landed in the UK, "I gained another feeling - excitement" and she is in regular touch with her family back home.
Speaking about colleagues who come to work at LWH from overseas, Kemelo explained how challenging it can be for people with different customs and languages. She has found the housing in the UK very different to back home and she joked that getting used to Winters in the UK is difficult as she is "not good with the cold!".
Finally, outside of her midwifery career, Kemelo is a beauty plus size model. She is also National Director of Miss Africa Plus Sized Botswana.
Rebecca's Story - Advanced Nurse Practitioner Trainee
Although she jokes she is "too old" to be studying, Rebecca has just 6 months left of her challenging two-year training course to become an Advanced Nurse Practitioner. She explains it's been tough managing the coursework alongside her work in Gynaecology but is looking forward to having the responsibility of her own clinic.
Born in Ghana, it's been 30 years since she trained and qualified in General Nursing and Midwifery there. Her mum had visited Liverpool in 1975 and loved the city. Rebecca attributes this to one of reasons she moved here herself and she also already had family here.
Starting work at the Women's. When she moved to the UK, the Women's was just a short walk from her home that she shared with her husband and children and she came straight in to ask HR whether there was an HCA role available. After some discussion, HR were surprised to discover that she was a qualified midwife and advised her that nursing and midwifery vacancies would be available shortly for her to apply to.
Career at the Women's. Rebecca remembers that job roles were advertised every Thursday in the Echo and she would scan the jobs section looking for the vacancies. In the end, both the Women's and Aintree offered Rebecca positions however, it was the Women's that Rebecca wanted. 21 years later, she has a wealth of experience from the gynaecology emergency department to the high dependency unit. She has seen lots of change over the years at the hospital; the way we administer medicine, people coming and going and medication trolleys changing from old-fashioned to modern - and back again!
Who influenced Rebecca. Keeping to the theme of "celebrating our sisters", we ask Rebecca about the notable women who have influenced her. She chooses her late mum, Hannah who gave generously to the community and in particular, other children. "She saw everyone as her child", Rebecca explains, "She gave clothes and food and never took any money." As a child, when Rebecca would ask her mum why she did this, "She is my daughter...He is my son", her mum would tell her. To this day, Rebecca receives calls from people all over the UK and the US, who are not blood related but, who see her as family because of the support her mum provided them. Rebecca explains, "I see myself now doing some of the things she was doing" and tells us that she donates a lot of her children's clothes to the community. It is this generous spirit that drives Rebecca to get to an advance level of her career to ensure that people are cared for, and it is her dream to build a clinic in Ghana to help women there. She is looking for a property now to convert and will ask charities for support.
Advice from Rebecca. To my fellow Black Minority group, I would like to encourage you to pursue your dreams, further your education and never give up.
Fadzai Nyazika - Lead Pharmacist for Maternity
Fadzai was born in Zimbabwe – 'God’s own country' - and lived there until she was 8 years old. Fadzai and her family then moved to England where they lived until she was 14. France, Malawi and Indonesia were ‘home’ during the following years until Fadzai returned to the UK to go to University.
Working in Pharmacy. As a teenager, she was convinced that her future lay in teaching but a conversation with her careers adviser and godmother lead her to Pharmacy. The favourite part of her job is seeing how getting it right with medications can make a huge difference in someone’s life.
Fadzai is passionate about making the provision of healthcare safer, better and more accessible for women, particularly those of colour and those living within low and middle income countries.
Outside of work, she says she is a champion cake eater and an expert napper.
Edwin Djabatey - Consultant Anaesthetist
Ed is of Ghanaian heritage. He grew up and received his education including Medical School in Ghana. His parents moved from Ghana to the UK when the Judiciary came under attack during the political troubles of the 1980’s. Ed is one of four siblings who were thus in and out of the UK visiting their parents. He is married and met his wife in London when she was studying at the Queen Mary College, University of London. He has two children, a daughter who is a doctor in Merseyside and a son who is a solicitor in Manchester.
Moving to the UK. Ed moved formally to the UK in 1990 and trained in the Mersey Region Anaesthesia Registrar Rotation Scheme, training and working in most hospitals on Merseyside.
Working for the Liverpool Women's. He started working as a Consultant Anaesthetist at the Liverpool Women’s Hospital and Royal Liverpool University & Broadgreen Hospital (as it was then known) in 2000. He worked in these two Hospitals his entire consultant career. In addition to his clinical work, he has held a number of Trust roles including Critical Care Lead, College Tutor and was the Clinical Director of Anaesthesia and Theatres for circa 9 years. He has led on and contributed to many quality and safety improvement projects and was heavily involved with the Future Generation’s Project. He is especially proud of how his department has developed and contributed to the functioning of LWH, a standalone tertiary hospital.
Ed is passionate about his speciality, Anaesthesia, Perioperative, Intensive Care and Pain Medicine (Anaesthesia for short) which underpins all specialities in hospitals. It is the single biggest hospital speciality and is involved in the care of over 70% of hospital admissions. He says ‘Anaesthetists are the essential oil which lubricate the machinery of the NHS’
One thing which has become obvious from the Covid-19 crisis is the value of the Anaesthesia and Theatre Teams to hospitals and the community.
Teaching and Training. He is keen on teaching and training the next generation. They are our future, he says. Investing in the next generation maintains all learning and experience gained which would otherwise be lost. He teaches by example, personal interaction and using clinical leadership.
Ed completed a term as the President of the Liverpool Society of Anaesthetists (LSA). The LSA has a membership of anaesthetists from Merseyside, Cheshire and North Wales. This was an honour and privilege for him.
Inspirational people. Ed has met many inspirational people during his life both professionally and socially. These are people who have had a positive impact on him. He calls these people his ‘GIANTS’ who have helped him grow and develop professionally. Ed says ‘We stand on the shoulders of giants’. Ed wants to be a giant for others.
Socially, and especially in this time of great racial turbulence, he finds the life and work of Nelson Mandela and Martin Luther King inspirational.
His other interests include reading, walking/hiking, gym and music.
Finally, we wanted to share with you some events that are happening in Liverpool and within the NHS around Black History Month:
- The Bioethics of being black in Science and Medicine: a history of racial discrimination and abuse within scientific fields.Event, with music, spoken word and expert panel, including our LWH colleagues Dr Rachel Hart, Clinical Geneticist and Sarah Maguire, Genetic Counsellor.
- This is not America: Why Black Lives in Britain Matter Q&A with author Tomiwa Owolade at the Mansion House, Calderstones Park 22nd October.
- Black History Month Day Festival – St Georges Hall, 21 October. Free day festival where local music artists take to the stage to perform Neo-Jazz, alternative introspective R&B, poetry, art and rap.
To help us celebrate, please use the hashtag #WeMatter #BlackHistoryMonth2023 #SalutingOurSisters
