Sherry calls herself a village doctor. At just 30, she found herself heading the paediatric department at North Kinangop Catholic Hospital in Nyeri County.
She was instrumental in setting up and growing a neonatal department in the hospital. She also established systems and structures that ensured seamless service delivery for children in the village, by mentoring, and training nurses, clinical officers, and medical officers at the health facility.
This is in addition to working with her colleagues to conduct outreach activities in the community such as visiting schools teaching pupils preventive medicine.
The 32-year-old describes herself as a solution-driven individual.
"“I will see there is a problem then I will want to provide a solution.”"
“I will see there is a problem then I will want to provide a solution.”
While at North Kinangop Catholic Hospital, Kenyatta National Hospital came calling in September 2021. She is now a paediatrician.
But in under seven months, the urge to further her knowledge would see the doctor leave for the UK at the Princess Anne Hospital in Southampton where she is pursuing neonatology, a field of paediatric dealing with treating and care of newborns.
Growing up, the Nyahururu Elite alumnus always wanted to be close to children. After completing her undergraduate studies in Medicine and Surgery at the University of Nairobi in 2011, she joined Nyeri Provincial General Hospital as a medical officer intern.
She later did a Master of Medicine in paediatric and child health.
Rather than join a big private hospital in Nairobi that came knocking for her services, Sherry opted to head to the remote village in Kinangop as she searched for an opportunity to be more impactful.
Sherry credits her internship in Nyeri as a major turning point in her medical career as it opened her eyes, ushering her to the field of paediatrics.
“As much as it is a lot of work, I am usually very excited dealing with neonates because they are tender and gentle. Being able to apply the knowledge I am learning in my training to actual services back at home by touching the lives of children is the wind that keeps my sail going. I want to take care of more children and also have my own at some point.”
COLLINS OMULO