Queen’s nursing graduate honours daughter’s legacy through compassion-led care

Anna Van Der Merwe received her degree in Children’s and Young People’s Nursing on Wednesday, fulfilling a promise she made to herself after the death of her daughter, Megan, whose life and care was at the forefront of the family’s mind.

Megan was born with serious brain and heart complications and later developed scoliosis, epilepsy and additional health challenges. Completely dependent on her family, she nevertheless lived a life full of connection and meaning. “We were told she would live for five days, but she gifted us 12 unforgettable years,” Anna said. “Her presence reshaped our family: every day became precious, every milestone a celebration.”

It was the compassion of the nurses who supported their family that inspired Anna to change her career. Formerly working with creditors and debtors before becoming a full-time carer, she felt called to retrain. “The nurses who walked alongside us didn’t just care for my daughter – they cared for us as a family. They showed us dignity in the darkest moments and humanity in the clinical setting.

“Studying nursing at Queen’s was not only about honouring my daughter’s legacy, but also something I needed to do for myself.”

Returning to education carried emotional weight but Anna says the support she received at Queen’s helped her grow both personally and professionally. She credits lecturers, wellbeing services and classmates with creating an environment where her lived experience was valued. Courses in end-of-life care and trauma-informed practice, she said, gave her the tools to channel those experiences into skilled, compassionate care.

One moment during her placement confirmed she had chosen the right path. Hearing a grieving parent in a hospital room that once triggered painful memories, she felt compelled to step in.

“Without a second thought, I knew I had to go in,” she explained. “I no longer associated the room with my own past. Instead, I saw this parent, and I appreciated the depth of her heartache. I felt empowered. It was the moment I truly understood that my daughter’s legacy had given me a gift: the ability to turn pain into empathy, and empathy into care.”

Now beginning her career as a paediatric community nurse, Anna hopes to specialise in palliative care.

Elsewhere, a Rathfriland man also graduated with a degree in Adult Nursing from Queen’s University Belfast, following in the footsteps of his wife, who encouraged him to pack up the toolbox and pursue his passion for nursing.

Growing up in a small rural community, and having worked previously as both a tradesman and nightclub doorman, Graham Gibson didn’t think being a nurse would ever be a possibility for him.

However, his wife Rachel, also a nursing graduate from Queen’s, inspired him to take the leap and pave a new career for himself.

“I had always doubted myself academically, and for a long time, I didn’t think university was for someone like me with very few qualifications. But seeing my wife work incredibly hard throughout the pandemic was honestly one of the biggest inspirations in my life, and a huge part of my decision to go to Queen’s,” he explained.

“Her dedication and compassion reminded me exactly why I’d always wanted to be a nurse. She’ll never take credit for it, but she was absolutely one of the main reasons why I finally applied.”