When you listen with your heart

Anndeloris Chacon is a visionary leader whose passion and purpose are to help others. Her commitment started in primary school with her being a member of the Junior Red Cross which led to her thirty-eight years in her nursing career.

Anndeloris trained as a Registered Nurse in Trinidad and Tobago. Professional activities were president of the student body then became a member of the Trinidad and Tobago Registered Nurses Association. Anndeloris was the youngest delegated to attend the International Congress of Nurses in Israel in 1985. In her community she was the president of the netball club for four years. In 1988 migrated to Canada where she was trained as a cardiac scrub nurse and after four years she returned to Trinidad. In 1991, Anndeloris was fortunate to be the only nurse with cardiac surgery experience when the management of Eric Williams Sciences Complex decided to start angioplasty and cardiac surgery. Anndeloris trained her colleagues and they all received acknowledgement of the cardiac surgery skills from Professor Gianni D Angelini with certificates from Bristol University. Anndeloris migrated to Bristol, England in 1999 and her nursing career continued until September 2015. During that time Anndeloris continued her work in the theatres then took on the post as the Sickle Cell and Thalassaemia Clinical Coordinator for eleven years. Voluntary work in the hospital was as a bullying and harassment advisor, union representative for Royal College of Nurses, member of Black and Minority Ethnic core group and mentor/preceptor for staff.

In October 2015, Anndeloris made a change of career and is now holding the post of manager for the charity, Bristol Black Carers. Working in the community has always been part of her life style and this is with different organisations. Previous trustee with Bristol Black Carers, school governor, facilitator for youth group at church and presently board member for Studio 7, Phoenix Social Enterprise and others.

Anndeloris enjoyed the novelty of publishing her first book of poetry called ‘Listen’. The feedback has been very positive, and some have said that it is inspirational. Anndeloris believes this is the beginning of many more books to come.

Anndeloris is enjoying the work of the charity because it gives her the joyous satisfaction of helping individuals the way in which they have identified. The outcomes have been remarkable to the point where individuals have offered their assistance according to their skills and experience.

Anndeloris look forward to the future because there is so much more to build with and in the communities.