“Midwifery has taught me compassion, patience, and the importance of community.”

After delivering 44 years’ NHS service, Midwife, Sylvia Millen is retiring from Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust.

Born in Jamaica, Sylvia moved to the UK at the age of 15 and trained in Nursing and Midwifery in Wolverhampton.

She jokes that: “Nursing and Midwifery was not my first choice of career, but it came about accidentally!”

Her Nurse training started in February 1982, and she became a Staff Nurse on an orthopaedic ward at Wolverhampton’s New Cross Hospital. She started her Midwifery training there in September 1986

Sylvia said: “Midwifery has been more than a profession, and I have been privileged to support mothers, welcome new life into the world and walk alongside families during significant times, this has been a true honour.

“During my career I worked in Saudia Arabia, gaining valuable international experience, working with a wide range of people from different parts of the world.”

She returned to New Cross as a Midwife, before joining Walsall Healthcare as a Community Midwife in November 1995. And she has had several roles including Team Leader, and Safeguarding Supervisor, before returning to clinical practice as a Community Midwife.

“Throughout my professional life I have built close relationships with colleagues, – in fact some of my closest friends I have met through work,” she said.

“The relationships and connections I have formed are amongst the things I will treasure most from my career.

“Beyond my professional life, I have remained deeply committed to service, I am an active member of my church and have also served as a bereavement support worker at Compton Hospice, offering support and comfort to families during difficult times.

“I also volunteer in Walsall, supporting residents at care homes.

“As I come to the end of my professional journey, I feel deeply grateful for the opportunities I have had, for the colleagues who have become friends, and for the families who allowed me to share their journey.

“Midwifery has taught me compassion, patience, and the importance of community. It has shown me the strength of women, and the resilience of families.

“Above all it has been a privilege to serve. I leave Walsall with a heart full of many wonderful memories.”

Harley Holland, Lead for Community Services and Syvia’s manager, said: “Sylvia is a very hard-working member of the team; she goes above and beyond for her patients, and her patients always have such lovely things to say about her.

“Her big personality will be missed by so many of us in the team. Thank you for all your support and what you have taught me over the years. I wish you a very happy retirement, you deserve it.”

Sylvia plans to go to Jamaica and added: “I’m going to spend more time with the people who matter most to me, family, friends and church community.

“In particular I hope to spend more time in Jamaica, reconnecting with my roots.

“This is not an ending, but a new stage in my life, marked by gratitude, service, faith and the joy of sharing life with others.”