MAMA USED TO SAY... by Jackie Rankin

Terhemen Adamu is a mental health nurse. He wasn’t always a nurse – and his mum’s reaction when he decided to abandon a successful career as a software engineer in telecoms was less than enthusiastic.

Terhemen with mum Christina, nephew Dooyum and son Leighton.

Joel Goodman

Words: Jackie Rankin Photos: Joel Goodman

Mama used to say ‘why are you giving up a well paid job’? She thought I wasn’t making the best choice, but I knew it was right for me and my son,” he told MC magazine.

After years of study and now enjoying his dream job, Terhemen is giving back by becoming a career ambassador. He’ll go into schools, sharing his inimitable enthusiasm and passion for nursing. He uses his engineering mind to awaken students’ curiosity, always on the lookout for new ways to demonstrate the need for resilience and teamwork.

And who better to turn to for advice than his 16 year old son? “If you’re at a careers conference you have to be competitive, you have to stand out against hundreds of others. I ask him the best ways to get their attention.”

I knew it was right for me and my son.

“I may not know everything about mental health, but I can tell them about our values. I say as long as you care we’ll help you with the rest. It doesn’t matter when you join, we’ll be here. It’s important. Our children are our legacy.” And has he made his mama proud? Terhemen grins.

“Yes I think so. She was a nurse herself, in London. She enjoyed telling people her son was an engineer, but she’s seen how it’s transformed my life.”

To find out more about career ambassadors contact Lesley Cradduck: lesley.cradduck@merseycare.nhs.uk