Frances Ames facts for kids

Frances Rix Ames (born April 20, 1920 – died November 11, 2002) was a doctor from South Africa. She was a special kind of doctor called a neurologist, who studies the brain. She also worked as a psychiatrist, helping people with their mental health. Frances Ames was also a human rights activist, meaning she fought for fairness and equal rights for everyone. She is most famous for investigating the death of Steve Biko, an important activist who fought against apartheid. Apartheid was a cruel system in South Africa that separated people based on their race.

Frances Ames was born in Pretoria and grew up in Cape Town, often facing poverty. In 1964, she made history by becoming the first woman to earn a Doctor of Medicine degree from the University of Cape Town. She led the brain and nerve department at Groote Schuur Hospital before she retired in 1985. Even after retiring, she continued to teach at other hospitals. After apartheid ended in 1994, Ames shared her story at the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. This commission looked into past human rights abuses. In 1999, Nelson Mandela, a famous leader, gave her the Star of South Africa award. This was the country's highest award for civilians, given to her for her important work in human rights.

Early Life and Education

Frances Ames was born in Voortrekkerhoogte, Pretoria, South Africa, on April 20, 1920. She was the second of three daughters born to Frank and Georgina Ames. Her mother was a nurse who had lived in a concentration camp during the Second Boer War. Frances never met her father, who left the family when she was young.

Because her mother struggled to care for them, Frances spent some of her childhood in a Catholic orphanage. While there, she became very sick with typhoid fever. Later, her mother brought the family back together and they moved to Cape Town. Frances attended the Rustenburg School for Girls. She then went on to study medicine at the University of Cape Town (UCT), where she earned her medical degree (MBChB) in 1942.

Medical Career Highlights

After finishing her studies, Frances Ames worked as an intern at Groote Schuur Hospital in Cape Town. She also worked as a general doctor in the Transkei region. In 1964, she earned her MD degree from UCT, becoming the first woman ever to achieve this.

In 1976, Ames became the head of the neurology department at Groote Schuur Hospital. Two years later, in 1978, she was made an associate professor. She retired in 1985 but kept working part-time. She taught at Valkenberg Hospital and Alexandra Hospital in the psychiatry and mental health departments of UCT. In 1997, UCT honored her by making her an associate professor emeritus of neurology. In 2001, she received an honorary doctorate in medicine from UCT. Some people believed she was never made a full professor because she was a woman.

The Steve Biko Case

Steve Biko was a well-known anti-apartheid activist in South Africa. He was arrested by police in Port Elizabeth on August 18, 1977, and held for 20 days. During his detention, Biko was badly mistreated by the police. Between September 6 and 7, he fell into a coma. Frances Ames and others believed that the doctors who treated Biko, Ivor Lang and Benjamin Tucker, worked with the police. They were accused of hiding the abuse that led to Biko's death on September 12. Experts later agreed that the doctors involved in Biko's care did not follow proper medical rules.

The South African Medical and Dental Council (SAMDC) and the Medical Association of South Africa (MASA) did not punish the doctors involved in Biko's death. This led two groups of doctors to file official complaints with the SAMDC. They wanted a formal investigation into the medical ethics of doctors Lang and Tucker. Both cases went to the South African Supreme Court to force the SAMDC to act. One case was filed by Frances Ames, along with Trefor Jenkins and Phillip Tobias. The second case was filed by Dumisani Mzana, Yosuf Veriava, and Tim Wilson.

As Frances Ames and her small group of doctors pushed for this investigation, she was called a whistleblower. A whistleblower is someone who reveals wrongdoing. Her bosses at the university threatened her job, and her colleagues asked her to drop the case. By continuing to fight for justice for Steve Biko, Ames faced personal threats and risked her own safety.

After eight long years, Frances Ames won the case in 1985. The South African Supreme Court ruled in her favor. With her help, the court forced the medical council to change its decision. The two doctors who treated Biko were finally disciplined. This case also led to important changes in medical rules in South Africa. It helped doctors understand their ethical duties better.

Personal Life

Frances Ames was married to David Castle, who was a writer for the Cape Times newspaper. They had four sons. In 1967, her husband sadly died suddenly when she was 47 years old. After his death, her housekeeper, Rosalina, helped her raise the family. Frances Ames wrote about her experiences in her book, Mothering in an Apartheid Society, which was published in 2002.

Later Life and Death

Frances Ames bravely battled leukemia for some time. Before she passed away, she told an interviewer, "I shall go on until I drop." She continued to work for UCT as a part-time teacher at Valkenberg Hospital until just six weeks before her death. She died at her home in Rondebosch on November 11, 2002. Greg McCarthy from UCT's psychiatry department gave a speech at her funeral. Frances Ames was cremated. Following her wishes, her ashes were mixed with hemp seeds and spread outside Valkenberg Hospital, where her memorial service was held.

Legacy and Impact

Frances Ames's brave work on the Steve Biko case led to major changes in medicine in South Africa. The old medical organizations from the apartheid era, which had failed to uphold medical standards, were replaced. Her work helped clarify the duties of doctors, especially when they have different responsibilities. This is now part of the medical rules in South Africa.

In 1999, Nelson Mandela gave Frances Ames the Order of the Star of South Africa. This was the highest civilian award in the country. It recognized her important work for human rights in South Africa.

See also

In Spanish: Frances Ames para niños