1. Dame Elizabeth Nneka Anionwu was born on Elizabeth Mary Furlong; 2 July 1947 and is a British nurse, health care administrator, lecturer, and emeritus professor of Nursing at the University of West London.
22 Facts About Elizabeth Anionwu
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In 1979, Anionwu became the United Kingdom's first sickle-cell and thalassemia nurse specialist, helping establish the Brent Sickle Cell and Thalassaemia Counselling centre with consultant haematologist Milica Brozovic.
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In 1998, by then a professor of nursing, Elizabeth Anionwu created the Mary Seacole Centre for Nursing Practice at the University of West London.
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Elizabeth Anionwu holds the Order of Merit, was appointed a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire and is a Fellow of the Royal College of Nursing.
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Elizabeth Anionwu retired in 2007, and in 2016 she published her memoirs, Mixed Blessings from a Cambridge Union.
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Elizabeth Anionwu's upbringing had been heavily affected by moving between institutions and family.
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Elizabeth Anionwu spent just over two years living with her mother, a relationship that ended when her stepfather, who did not accept her and drank heavily, started to physically abuse her.
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Elizabeth Anionwu was placed in a Catholic children's home where she was cared for by nuns, including several years in the Nazareth House convent in Birmingham.
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Elizabeth Anionwu was to visit Nigeria frequently and later changed her surname to Anionwu.
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Elizabeth Anionwu has credited her father, Lawrence Elizabeth Anionwu, a barrister and diplomat, as the first person to provide her with career advice.
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Elizabeth Anionwu began her nursing career inspired by a nursing nun who cared for her eczema at the age of four.
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Elizabeth Anionwu continued with education to become a nurse, health visitor, and tutor.
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Elizabeth Anionwu travelled to the United States to study counselling for sickle-cell and thalassemia centres as courses were not then available in the UK.
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Elizabeth Anionwu was appointed the dean of the School of Adult Nursing Studies and Professor of Nursing at University of West London.
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Elizabeth Anionwu chaired several projects for the NHS Sickle and Thalassaemia Screening Programme, including the development of "Caring for people with sickle cell disease and thalassaemia syndromes: A framework for nursing staff" that was accredited in 2010 by the Royal College of Nursing, and "Understanding the contribution of sickle cell and thalassaemia specialist nurses", funded through a grant from the Roald Dahl's Marvellous Children's Charity.
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Elizabeth Anionwu was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire in the 2001 Birthday Honours for her services to nursing.
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Elizabeth Anionwu received the 2015 Lifetime Achievement Award on Divas of Colour.
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Elizabeth Anionwu was appointed Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire in the 2017 New Year Honours for services to nursing and the Mary Seacole Statue Appeal.
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Elizabeth Anionwu was awarded a Fellowship of the Queen's Nursing Institute in October 2017.
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At the Pride of Britain Awards in October 2019, Elizabeth Anionwu received the Lifetime Achievement Award, "in recognition of her passion for nursing and dedication to reducing health inequalities", the presentation being made Janet Jackson.
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On 31 May 2020 Elizabeth Anionwu was the subject of an episode of Desert Island Discs on BBC Radio 4.
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Elizabeth Anionwu was made a member of the Order of Merit in 2022.