St George’s midwife wins prestigious award!
Congratulations to Adebola Aroboto who has won the British Journal of Midwifery’s Midwife of the Year Award!
The judges said Adebola’s nomination stood out ‘ahead of all others’, scoring a very impressive 38/40.
Adebola, who works as a female genital mutilation (FGM) and perineal health specialist midwife at St George’s, said: “I have been a midwife for the last twenty years.
“These years have been an adventure for me; every time I support a woman and her family through pregnancy, childbirth and beyond, I become part of that woman’s journey and her story. To me these experiences have been priceless.”
Adebola said she was delighted with the award and described it as a ‘milestone’. She said: “Winning this award has given me a sense of self-fulfilment. My personal mission has been to be the type of midwife that I would want to care for me if I were pregnant.
“This award is almost like a milestone in fulfilling my passion. This passion is to ensure that no woman suffers in silence when it comes to their sexual health as a result of a perineal injury sustained during childbirth, or the harmful practice of FGM.”
Adebola said she hopes to use the award to raise more awareness of FGM and perineal heath.
Adebola said: “It is a field that is not talked about much or researched enough in maternity. There is not enough published evidence to support postpartum perineal care. I want to help transform care for every woman, and create long-term change and improvements to patient care and health outcomes.”
The award is made even more exciting by 2020 being International Year of the Nurse and Midwife – a time to celebrate these professions and the expert clinical care they bring.
Adebola said: “Midwifery is the oldest profession in the world with a great and distinct wealth of knowledge attached to it. Midwives do not just deliver babies; there are a number of specialist roles that a midwife can fulfil.
“With this year being International Year of The Nurse and Midwife, as well as the bicentenary anniversary of the birth of Florence Nightingale, it is a great time for midwives and nurses all over the world to use this opportunity to come out of their comfort zones and showcase their passion and specialist areas of midwifery, and to share experiences and nurture new generations of midwives.”
This is Adebola’s second award in the last twelve months – in March 2019 she also won the NHS@70 Excellence Awards UK for Outstanding Contribution!
