Belfast woman graduates from Queen’s in Children’s and Young People’s Nursing, inspired by the memory 12-year-old Megan
And the ring she will wear as she receives her degree will contain some of her daughter’s ashes.
Anna Van Der Merwe’s daughter, Megan, was born with major medical complications affecting her brain and heart. She later developing scoliosis, epilepsy and other complex health challenges.
She was completely dependent on her family, but her life was rich with meaning.
“We were told she would live for five days, but she gifted us 12 unforgettable years,” Anna explained.
“Her presence reshaped our family: every day became precious, every milestone a celebration. Carrying both the weight of anticipatory grief and the joy of her resilience taught us patience, strength, and the true meaning of unconditional love, including the importance of being held by others when the burden felt too heavy.”
The nurses who cared for her daughter would change the course of Anna’s life, inspiring her to retrain as a nurse at Queen’s, having previously worked with creditors and debtors before becoming a full-time carer for Megan for those 12 years.
“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. It was a way of transforming grief into purpose, of finding meaning in the hardest chapters of my life.
“At times, it felt like I was walking with two identities,” she continued. “The parent who had sat at the bedside, and the student nurse learning to stand at it professionally. Yet that duality became my strength. It gave me perspective and empathy, coupled with a determination to transform pain into purpose.
“Queen’s provided not just academic rigour but a safe space where my story was heard and valued. Lecturers encouraged me to weave my story into my learning, wellbeing services provided a safety net when emotions surfaced, and my peers stood beside me with solidarity. Courses on end-of-life care, communication and trauma-informed practice gave me the tools to translate lived experience into professional skill,” she said.
“That support helped me understand that Queen’s gave me the academic foundation, but my daughter gave me the heart. Together they shaped my decision to become the nurse I am today.”
Anna Van Der Merwe, from Belfast, is graduating today with a degree in Children’s and Young People’s Nursing from Queen’s University Belfast.
News Catch Up – Monday 8 December
Anna’s lived experience became a meaningful source of connection for families she met on placement. One moment stands out – the day she heard a grieving parent inside a hospital room she had once struggled to enter while on placement because of her own memories.
“I knew I had to go in,” she said. “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.”
Anna will share her graduation with her son Ewan who has been a constant source of strength.
“Walking across the graduation stage is not just a ceremony for me, it’s the culmination of a journey carved out of love, loss and resilience” she explained.
“It’s carrying my daughter’s legacy in every step. And it was my son who reminded me that I could keep going when exhaustion or doubt crept in. Seeing him in the audience as I graduate will be a moment of profound pride, not just mine, but his too.”
Now beginning her career as a paediatric community nurse, Anna hopes to specialise in palliative care.
Also graduating is Graham Gibson, from Rathfriland, with a degree in Adult Nursing who is following in the footsteps of his wife who encouraged him to pack up the toolbox and pursue his passion.
Graham Gibson, from Rathfriland, is graduating today with a degree in Adult Nursing from Queen’s University Belfast.
“I didn’t think university was for someone like me with very few qualifications,” he said. “But seeing my wife work incredibly hard throughout the pandemic was honestly one of the biggest inspirations in my life. She’ll never take credit for it, but she was absolutely one of the main reasons why I finally applied.”
It was during his time as a student nurse that Graham discovered he had ADHD.
“I finally had an explanation for all those times I felt different or wondered why I had to work twice as hard as everyone else. My diagnosis has also made me more aware of others who might be fighting the same silent battle and I like to think that has made me a better nurse.”
