Corbie Banfield - Heeding the Calling to Nursing and Motherhood

Not many people feel that their jobs are the best in the world. However, that is just what Louise Banfield, or Corbie, as she is affectionately known to her friends (from her maiden name – Corbett-Owen), frequently says about her job. Corbie is a midwife, and the fact of helping to bring new little spirits into the world is something she regards an immense privilege.

Her Nursing Education

Having grown up in Zimbabwe, she went to nursing school (1974-1976) at the Salisbury Central Hospital. (The name was subsequently changed to the Andrew Fleming and then to the Parirenyatwa Hospital). As this was during the Bush War in the then-Rhodesia, Corbie’s training involved a lot of work with trauma – injured soldiers and civilians. At the end of her basic nursing training, she wanted to study midwifery, which was not offered in Zimbabwe, and so she moved down to Cape Town, to study and work at Mowbray Maternity Hospital, in 1978. To further her qualifications, she then went to work and study at Red Cross Children’s Hospital. This was where she stayed, doing paediatric nursing after she married Terry Banfield in 1980. As a qualified paediatric nurse, she was used in various different specialized outpatient clinics, including plastic surgery and ENT, etc.

The Start of Motherhood

Now that she was married a new stage of her life began. She left the hospital to have her first son, Bryan, in 1981, and her next son, Christopher, in 1982. And so began her own personal paediatric work within the walls of her own home.  After this, Terry was transferred up to Oranjemund in Namibia, and so the family relocated, and Corbie as an RN, began general nursing at the hospital there. As a true Zimbabwe-born woman, she loved the hot climate, and, in fact, given half a chance she would live in a permanently hot area, even now. However, she was not to remain in this genial climate, but rather to return to Cape Town, with its cold wet winters, in 1986.

Her Career as a Midwife

It was after her return to Cape Town, that Corbie was able to focus her career energies on her first love – midwifery. She worked full-time, doing day shifts at Panorama Mediclinic until her next son, Daniel, arrived in 1988. After this, in her efforts to be home with her sons as much as possible, she worked part-time, doing sessions at various hospitals. And this was the start of her love affair with night shifts. Being a night owl by nature, working at night suited her extremely well. In addition, it meant that she was home during the daytime when her children were up and about. Unfortunately, sleep all too often has been sacrificed over the years as this conscientious woman has served both in her family and outside her family.

Her last baby, a desperately wanted daughter, Emma, was born in 1993, and Corbie stopped working for a while, trying to concentrate all her energy on her growing and busy family. But in 1998, the call of her nursing took her back to the labour ward, this time at Milnerton Mediclinic, and there she has remained. Once again, she worked night duties, continuously from then until three months ago, when the hospital decided that they needed her as a senior sister on day duty. And so now, the night owl is challenged to become a day bird.

Church and Community Service

During the process of raising four children, being a caring wife, nursing her father through his terminal illness, and pursuing her career, Corbie has actively served both in the Church and the community. At Church, she has held numerous callings, including teaching (including early morning seminary), ward Young Women President, counselor in the Stake Young Women Presidency, and Relief Society President. Never could a sister in the ward ask for a more diligent visiting teacher.

Corbie’s Views on her Calling

As much as Corbie loves her nursing, her first priority has always been her family, and she has made many sacrifices to give them the best that she has to give. The schools, the dancing studios and the sports fields have always seen plenty of this mom, as she has supported her children in their various activities. Seeing to her children’s homework, and teaching her children values and principles, was something that she has always taken very seriously – knowing that ultimately the children have to make their own decisions in life.

When it comes to her nursing, this is not simply a job to her. It is a calling. Anyone who has ever had the privilege of being nursed by her knows that here is someone who really cares about her patients, and has the knowledge and ability to back up the compassion. Sadly, this is not the common state of nursing in our country these days.

Many have been the opportunities that Corbie has had in which to share the strength of her faith and testimony with patients, and with other nurses and doctors. As much as she may be saddened by a patient’s loss when a tragedy occurs, and a baby is lost, her testimony of the Plan of Salvation is so strong that it helps her to have the strength and the wisdom to help the grieving parents. The caregivers also suffer when patients are lost, and her testimony helps her with this, as she knows that there is a greater purpose to this life than may be apparent to the earthly eye.

Membership in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints

Corbie was baptized in 1978, having been introduced to the Gospel by her nursing roommate in Cape Town. She had to deal with opposition from her family on joining the Church, and she has remained the only member of her family in the Church, although she has done the temple work for her parents now that they have passed away.

Terry and Corbie were sealed in the London Temple, when they were married in 1980. They waited to get married as they were determined to be married immediately in the temple, and there was no temple in the country at that time. (The Johannesburg Temple was dedicated in 1985) So they worked hard and saved and sacrificed, and they were able to make their dream come true of being sealed for Time and Eternity. Their children were born under the blessing of this eternal covenant, so they can be a ‘forever family’.

Truly this is one of the many South African Mormon Women Making Their Mark.