At just 26, Penelope Baabe Tettey Adinku has already etched her name in medical history, achieving what no Black woman before her has done – successfully repairing a human heart. A cardiothoracic surgeon from Ghana, she made this historic leap when she performed life-saving heart surgery on a six-year-old girl, marking her first-ever operation as a practicing surgeon.
Penelope’s journey to this extraordinary milestone began at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, where she earned her degree in Medicine and Surgery. Her passion for surgery was ignited during her final year of medical school, where she witnessed firsthand the impact of surgeons treating patients with complex conditions. But it was during her housemanship in pediatrics that she found her true calling – caring for children with congenital heart disease setting her on a path that would ultimately lead her to cardiothoracic surgery, a field long dominated by men.
Determined to excel, she undertook a rigorous three-year general surgery program with the West African College of Surgeons, followed by a Ph.D. in Molecular and Cell Biology from the University of Ghana. With her doctorate in hand, she secured a role at the National Cardiothoracic Centre at Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, where she made history as the country’s first female cardiothoracic surgeon. Under the supervision of Dr. Lawrence Agyemang Serebour, she performed the groundbreaking surgery that restored the young girl’s heart function – an achievement that signals a shift in Ghana’s medical landscape.
Penelope recognizes the challenges that have long kept women out of this demanding specialty. The intense workload, long hours, and high-pressure environment have made it difficult for many women to balance the career with societal expectations of family life. Yet, she remains steadfast in her mission – not just to heal hearts, but to open doors for other women in the field. She envisions a future where more women step into the world of cardiothoracic surgery, closing the gender gap and proving that no specialty is beyond their reach.
