A former international sprinter once dubbed “Africa’s fastest woman” is retiring after nearly 50 years as an NHS nurse.
Nurse manager Rose Amankwaah, who represented Ghana at the Olympics and Commonwealth Games, is retiring at the end of this month after 49 years as an NHS nurse.
The theater matron started working for the NHS in 1975, just three years after she represented Ghana in the 100m relay at the 1972 Munich Olympics.
Image: PA
Mrs Amanqua, known affectionately as “Nurse Rose” at work, spent her entire nursing career at Middlesex Central Hospital in London.
She was initially given weekends off to continue track training.
Ms. Amankwahe participated in many major competitions including the African Games, Commonwealth Games and Olympic Games.
Last year she was awarded the NHS Silver Medal by Dame Ruth May, the UK’s chief nurse.
Ms Amankwaah moved to the UK in 1974 at the age of 22 and soon began training as a nurse.
She was then hired as a nurse manager at the hospital and ended her career as a theater nurse manager.
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Mrs Amanquah met then Prime Minister Tony Blair while working as a nurse. Image: PA
Meetings with royalty and politicians
During her time at London Northwestern University Healthcare NHS Trust, the mother-of-four and grandmother of 10 met with members of the royal family and senior politicians, with Ms Amanqua pictured shaking hands with the then King, Prince of Wales. and former Prime Minister Tony Blair.
“I’m excited to spend time with my family, but I’ve spent my whole life in this hospital, so retiring feels like losing something – you’re part of the furniture and all of a sudden you’re not part of the furniture anymore. “It will be,” she said.
“But I’m happy that I’ve achieved what I wanted to achieve.”
Ghana Retirement Trip
Her first trip since retirement will be to Ghana to visit her 87-year-old sister, with a number of other vacations in the pipeline.
She is still considering whether to continue working on the nursing roll and working in a bank to provide supplementary cover if needed.
Her athletics honors include a bronze medal in the 4x100m relay at the 1974 Commonwealth Games in New Zealand, representing Ghana in the same event at the 1972 Munich Olympics, and a gold medal in the 200m at the 1973 Africa vs Americas Athletics Games.
She also won a silver medal in the 100m at the African Games and won the 4x100m relay title with Ghana at the same Games.
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