Born under British colonial rule in southern Africa, Lois Chikanya has spent her life overcoming prejudice and breaking barriers – from walking miles to school as a child in Zimbabwe, to challenging racism while caring for patients in hospitals. 

Now aged 88 and living in Hasland near Chesterfield, Lois dedicated more than four decades to nursing and midwifery after arriving in Britain in 1960.   

During that time, she helped deliver hundreds of babies, supported families through some of life’s most significant moments and became a passionate advocate for equality in healthcare.  

Today, she is a regular face at Ashgate Hospice’s Day Services, where she joins exercise classes, socialises with friends and strives to live as well as she can after being diagnosed with heart failure.   

And as Britain marks Black History Month in October, Lois is sharing her story – one of resilience, education and determination – in the hope it will inspire others and shed light on the experiences of Black people in this country past and present.  

If there is one lesson that has shaped Lois’s life, it has been the power of being open to learning.  

“My mother always used to say to me: ‘Education, education, education!’” she recalls.   

“She never had the opportunities I did, but she knew how much of a difference it could make. And she was right – education changed everything for me.” 

But education alone could not shield Lois from the prejudice she would go on to face – first as a child in Zimbabwe, then known as Rhodesia, and later in the hospitals and wards where she went on to work.  

“Back in Rhodesia, when I was growing up, we used to play with the White children in our neighbourhood,” said Lois.   

“But the day they started school, everything changed. They came back and suddenly didn’t want to know us. That’s when we realised how deeply racism was ingrained at a systemic level back at home.”  

While life was much improved, those attitudes followed her to Britain. As a young nurse, Lois remembers some patients refusing medication or even a cup of tea from her – only to accept it moments later from a White colleague.  

Such experiences would repeat themselves throughout her career – sometimes in ways that are almost unbelievable. 

“Some people only ever saw Black people as servants,” Lois said. “I was in charge of a hospital ward, but patients would still ask me for a bedpan instead of a student nurse. They assumed I was low-level because of my skin colour.” 

She added: “I remember caring for a man from Rhodesia who was dying of a brain tumour. He was very unwell and would stagger around the ward, but he still refused any medicine from me.  

“He had enough consciousness to recognise that I was Black and he would not accept care from me. Some people would have rather died than have any service from a Black person.” 

Even some colleagues struggled to accept that a young woman from Africa could excel in a system built for others when studying back in the 1960s. 

“One girl in my nursing class couldn’t understand how a Black girl from what she called ‘the darkest part of Africa’ could get higher marks than her,” Lois said. “She was absolutely livid, but I ignored the comments and kept going.”  

It was not the last time she would have to fight for recognition. Despite decades of service and a list of qualifications – from tropical medicine and family planning to children’s nursing – Lois was repeatedly denied a promotion. 

Eventually, she decided to challenge the system, and took her case to an industrial tribunal where she won. 

Lois said: “The tribunal agreed and they found I had been discriminated against.  

“I always stood up for myself. If you have nothing to hide, you have nothing to fear. And if my actions helped open the door for others, then it was worth it.” 

But Lois never let those attitudes define her, and instead chose to focus on the opportunities her new life in Britain offered. 

“I realised that it’s not the skin that counts – it’s how you treat other people,” said Lois. 

“White people are so much nicer in Britain than they were back home [in Zimbabwe]. There have been a few rotten apples, but I had to work that out myself because of my experience.  

“When I first arrived, people would say or do racist things and face no consequences. Now the law is stronger, and people are more aware.  

“There’s still work to do, but we’ve come a long way.” 

Her persistence paid off as she rose through the ranks of the health service and went on to lead hospital wards and mentor younger nurses coming through.  

Despite the challenges, Lois says she also met many people who showed her kindness and respect throughout her life. 

“When I came to Derbyshire, there were no Black people in my area and at first I felt very lonely,” Lois said.  

“But within two weeks I knew everyone! People would stop to talk to me in the street and say things like ‘alright duck’ – at first I thought they were saying something bad about my skin, but then I heard them say it to someone else and I laughed so much. 

“People here are so friendly.”

For Lois, her experiences show why Black History Month is important – not just as a celebration, but as an education for people.  

It is also an opportunity, she believes, to challenge stereotypes and start conversations that lead to change. 

“Black History Month does mean a lot to me personally,” Lois said. “For so long, nobody wanted to know about Black people – about our history, where we come from, or what we’ve contributed. 

“It’s wonderful to see Britain embracing Black history and educating people. It’s important to talk about it openly as a nation because that’s how change begins. 

“And when places like Ashgate celebrate Black History Month it will hopefully enable people to learn and change their perceptions about Black people.” 

Living with diabetes, asthma and heart problems, Lois was referred to Ashgate Hospice’s Day Services earlier this year.  

What began as an opportunity to join an exercise class quickly became something more meaningful, and Lois has gone on to make some close friends who she looks forward to seeing each week.

“Especially when you live alone, socialising is so important,” she says. “Here, people are kind and we chat, we laugh, we go for meals together once a month. It’s been wonderful. 

“When I’m at the hospice I don’t think about my skin colour. The staff and other patients just accept me for who I am – I look forward to coming here each week.” 

Stories like Lois’s remind us why Black History Month matters – it’s a chance to celebrate, to educate and to build a more equal future.  

To learn more about how Ashgate Hospice supports people from all backgrounds to live as well as possible, visit www.ashgatehospice.org.uk or follow us on social media this Black History Month.