BHM 2025 'Standing firm in power and pride' by Cynthia Matarutse
The theme for this year’s Black History Month is ‘Standing firm in power and pride’. Deputy divisional director of nursing, Cynthia Matarutse, shares her journey and what this year’s theme means to her.
I am of Zimbabwean heritage and came to the UK in 1999 to study nursing. It was my first trip on an aeroplane and all I knew of the country was London and television shows such as ‘Some Mothers Do Have Them’. I trained as a registered nurse and I am proud of the 23 years I spent in the role. Now, I’m a senior leader in the organisation as the Trust lead cancer nurse and one of the deputy divisional directors of nursing in surgery and cancer; a position I could not have imagined when I arrived at Heathrow Airport all those years ago with just my suitcase.
Cynthia"I see myself as a role model to other aspiring nurses for whom English is a second language."
I have been at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust for over two and half years and I am proud of the positive changes I have brought into cancer nursing. There is a focus on identification of inequalities and how we can gain better insights for shaping cancer services, so they are more inclusive. I continue to work to ensure our workforce is representative of the patients that we treat, because it is important to understand the cultural aspects of care.
This year’s Black History Month theme of ‘Standing firm in power and pride’ resonates so much with me, especially when I look back at my journey. There are still very few representations of black and global majority nurses in senior nursing leadership, including in cancer care. Yet, we know that cancer affects everyone and to reach people we need to understand their needs, to be able to make decisions in how we plan our services.
I see myself as a role model to other aspiring nurses for whom English is a second language. I have embraced that I may not pronounce some words correctly or may not be so familiar with all cultures. However, I bring the Southern African saying - Ubuntu – ‘I am because we are’ with me. I have had people who have encouraged me to make a difference to the lives of cancer patients, and I do so standing firm in power and pride as a nurse.
