Page 51 - Number 2 2021 Volume 74

Sylvia Kambalametore - Physiotherapist 39

Tragically, in 1979 at the age of only 52, her dynamic, charismatic ever
busy surgeon husband Jan died of a heart attack while climbing Mulanje: Ankie,
totally devastated, had to carry on alone, but she never fully recovered from this
loss and even late in life found it difficult to talk with any ease about Jan.
From the early 1970s her children had gone to the Netherlands to study
at the University of Groningen (three surgeons, two radiologists, one clinical
researcher and one engineer.) Spanning the years 1978 to 1983 three of the sons
worked in Malawi as government medical officers: fulfilling their 3 years of
community service (in place of the still obligatory Dutch military service). But
from 1983 to 1992, when her second son Eric returned to work at QECH as
paediatric surgeon, she lived alone, single-handedly overseeing and maintaining
her farm, guided always by how she thought Jan would have liked it done. Her
interest was primarily with the small herd of Friesian cows with whom she had a
special bond. A farmer friend, coming early one morning to size up the herd’s
bull, relates how he found the petite Ankie seated next to the hulking one-ton bull,
talking earnestly to the animal as if in preparation for their parting.
Ankie was a doctor in active practice for 60 years and worked at the
Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital in Blantyre for 48 of those. As if this were not
impressive enough, she also single-handedly started the Department of Paediatrics
there and happily continued her clinical and teaching work there until the age of
87. Her contributions to the care of sick children in Malawi were recognised
throughout the course of her career. At first by President Kamuzu Banda who
bestowed on her the Order of the Lion of Malawi. From the Dutch Queen in 1990
she received the medal of Knight of the Order of Orange Nassau (which Jan had
received some years earlier and her father had also received for his wartime work
many years before). Mzuzu University gave her an Honorary Doctorate in 2006,
and both the Medical Association of Malawi and the Paediatric Association of
Malawi awarded her lifetime membership. Finally, in 2013, President Joyce
Banda presented her with the Order of Grand Achiever of the Malawi Order of
National Achievement.
Ankie’s rambling house was filled with books and latterly her days were
engaged with reading - eclectically and voraciously, still studying and critiquing;
notebooks record not only what she had read, but her thoughts and queries arising
from these. The reference books ever by her side included variously the Bible and
an assortment of dictionaries of Chichewa, Dutch, French and English. Travelling
but infrequently, always content to stay put, Ankie’s home continued to be ‘open
house’ to any (usually unannounced) visitors. Sundays often saw her hosting
friends for tea on her veranda in the late afternoon glow of the sunset. The
discussions would centre around matters medical, news both international and
local and, of course, books. Despite her progressively hermit-like existence, Ankie
was uncannily up to date with what was happening in the outside world; her