Raffaela Goodby (BSc Psychology, 2001)
Returning to the University of Birmingham recently reminded me how deeply it is woven into my life.
I discovered I was pregnant at the start of my final year, and there were moments when finishing my degree felt impossible. I still remember sitting in Dr Gillian Harris’s office on a sweltering afternoon, overwhelmed and ready to give up, when she picked up the phone and said: ‘This girl is about to give birth. Please make room for her on this module.’ Without that conversation, I doubt I would have stayed at the university. It taught me that leadership isn’t about the grand gestures; it’s the small, human acts—done with compassion—that shape lives.
I’ve been proud to advocate for women across the NHS workforce, including championing miscarriage leave so that women and families going through loss are met with dignity, understanding and care.
Annabel, the baby I carried through my final year, is now a proud UoB graduate and works at the university that helped shape both our stories.
It is a joy to still be part of this extraordinary community.