Midwife wins top award at university

An inspirational midwife who achieved top honours at university while working full time and battling illness has been given a prestigious award.
Ruth Henderson with Professor Christine Jarvis, pro vice chancellor of the University of Huddersfield.Ruth Henderson with Professor Christine Jarvis, pro vice chancellor of the University of Huddersfield.
Ruth Henderson with Professor Christine Jarvis, pro vice chancellor of the University of Huddersfield.

Ruth Henderson, supervisor of midwives at Pontefract Hospital’s birth centre, has been awarded the Chancellor’s Prize from the University of Huddersfield for outstanding achievement.

Mrs Henderson got a distinction in her masters degree at the university after studying hard while working as a full-time midwife and balancing her family life.

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She got her Msc in Health Studies Advancing Midwifery Practice despite having to delay her dissertation for a year after being diagnosed with lymphoma in 2014 and having treatment at Pinderfields Hospital.

Mrs Henderson said: “I know I was not an easy patient to care for, but I am immensely grateful to the haematology team and staff on gates 21 and 23 at Pinderfields for their outstanding care, which helped to return me back to good health, enabling me to return to work and complete my studies.

“The support of my colleagues at Pontefract has also contributed to my achievement as they have willingly engaged in discussion about practice with me and listened to my endless ramblings about my work.”

Mrs Henderson has worked at Pontefract Hospital’s Friarwood Brith Centre, a midwife-led maternity unit, since 2011.

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She trained at Huddersfield University and first worked as a healthcare assistant at Dewsbury hospital, where she will return later this year as part of a shake-up of maternity services.

She is expected to have her research work published with the help of the university after writing her thesis on third stage labour.