The Motherhood Group Research Excellence Award presented by Patrick Vernon OBE

Congratulation to Dr Natalie Darko

“I am deeply honored to receive the The Motherhood Group Research Excellence Award. I was thrilled and surprised just to be a finalist, so winning the award truly took me by surprise.

This recognition, however, belongs to Sandra Igwe MBA founder and CEO of The Motherhood Group. Sandra, you continuously champion and support the voices of Black women in maternal health. Your leadership, particularly through your highly successful Black Maternal Health Conferences, is an inspiration. Your ability to engage influential figures, such as Diane Abbott as a speaker at this year’s event, truly demonstrates the incredible impact you’ve made in this field.

I will remain committed to raising awareness about the inequities in women’s health and pursuing research that acknowledges the voices and lived experiences of those who are often unheard and unseen, especially Black women. Women face disparities not only in maternal health but across all health conditions, particularly at the intersections of their identities and multiple health conditions.

I would also like to express my gratitude to the judges, including Charles Kwaku-Odoi DL MFPH, and to Professor Patrick Vernon OBE FrHistS Dr Jenny Douglas for their ongoing support.

Thank you to the University of Leicester, Nishan Canagarajah, Melanie J Davies CBE, and the NIHR Biomedical Research Centre for giving me the opportunity to work in a full-time, permanent role while balancing life as a mother of three daughters. I hope my journey inspires other women, especially those who feel unheard and unseen, to continue their research and advocate for change in health inequities for Black and minority women.’ By Dr Natalie Darko