Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital Honours Long-Serving Employees | Western Cape Government

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Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital Honours Long-Serving Employees

21 November 2013

Rosa Mentoor has dedicated her career to the care of others.

Mentoor, a critical care nursing assistant has worked in Intensive Care for 39 years. She started her career in 1972.

Nurse Mentoor said the most rewarding experience of her work is when a critically ill child recovers and is eventually discharged: "It is something special when the parents bring the child back for a visit to show how well they are doing."

Today, 21 November 2013, she and 38 of her colleagues were honoured for their many years of dedicated service to the people of the Western Cape.

At the event, 21 people were awarded for 20 years of service, 15 people for 30 years of service and two nurses for 40 years of service.

Among the categories of staff receiving awards were porters, telecom operators, housekeepers, administration clerks, linen bank supervisors, doctors, technicians, drivers and social workers, to name a few.

Among these were Prof. Jenny Thomas, the Head of Anaesthesia at Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital. She was honoured for 20 years of service to the hospital.

Prof. Thomas’s medical career began in 1980 and she has worked in the public sector her whole life. She was appointed in a specialist post in Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital in 1991.

One of Prof Thomas’ passions is pain management, which goes far beyond just general anaesthetics.

“This interest started with addressing pain in burns children but eventually developed into a total approach to the child in pain, including neuropathic and chronic pain syndromes. I started the first paediatric pain unit in 2003 when I was able to persuade the nursing staff that a full-time nurse was essential to pain being properly addressed at the hospital,” Prof. Thomas said.

Prof. Thomas is renowned for her expertise in anaesthesia for conjoined twins, and she at present has the largest series of anaesthesia for this unusual group of patients. In 2009 she took over as the Head of Anaesthesia at the hospital.

Prof. Thomas was recently awarded a Lifetime Service Award by the Burns Society of South Africa for her work in burns anaesthesia and pain management. In 2007 she was nominated for the Shoprite Checkers Woman of the Year award, as well as the Victoria and Alfred Waterfront and Vodacom Woman of Worth award.

Prof. Thomas said: "I have been extraordinarily lucky in my career and in knowing so many giants in medicine, wonderful parents with their amazing children."

Western Cape Minister of Health, Theuns Botha, said: "Thank you to our staff, some who have dedicated almost their complete professional life to work at our hospitals. It is a calling to do the work you do, and no remuneration can truly pay for your commitment. In your years of long service you have been models and examples for your colleagues and friends."

Media Enquiries: 

Lauren O’Connor-May
Communications Officer: Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital
Western Cape Government Health
Tel: 021 658 5448
Cell: 084 568 1413
E-mail: Lauren.O'Connor@westerncape.gov.za