Evelyn’s eye for success
Evelyn Mensah unwittingly practiced her suturing skills as a young girl helping her mother sew hems and buttons onto dresses.
Her deft needlework and hand-eye co-ordination would prove useful when she later became a surgeon.
“I was discouraged from pursuing medicine at school but have always found great motivation in proving people wrong,” says the mother of one.
“I’d always assumed surgery was too time-consuming for someone with children until a senior colleague suggested eye surgery. I did some research and just fell in love with it although it wasn’t all plain sailing.”
Evelyn took five attempts to pass the first part of her ophthalmology exam, three to be accepted on renowned Moorfields training programme, and had to initially head outside London for her first full-time consultant role.
“I’ve got to where I am through hard work, not giving up and never taking ‘no’ for answer,’ says the consultant eye surgeon who today is the clinical lead for Ophthalmology at Central Middlesex Hospital (CMH).
Her successes include CMH being the first eye unit in London to restart elective cataract surgery after the first wave of the pandemic; running a training programme for eye specialists in west Africa; and being made a Fellow Of the Ghana College of Physicians and Surgeons for her charitable work.
She was also recently made Clinical Lead for the Royal College of Ophthalmologists Clinical Lead Forum
So what’s her advice to young women considering a career in surgery?
“You have to believe in yourself, ignore the naysayers and align yourself to a group of like-minded people who support you. I’ve got so much I still want to do in terms of research, writing and developing the service at CMH. I’m also passionate about tackling racism and inequality in healthcare.”