The Association of Women’s Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses (AWHONN) presented the 2024 Lifetime Achievement Award to Clifton Kenon, Jr., DNP, RN, IBCLC, FAWHONN, FAAN last week in Phoenix.
The Lifetime Achievement Award is AWHONN’s most prestigious honor for those who have shown exemplary characteristics in the nursing care of women and newborns across the nation and beyond.
Dr. Kenon graduated from James Sprunt Community College with an Associate Degree from the nursing program in 2007. He was inducted three years ago as a fellow of the American Academy of Nursing and is an inaugural fellow in the Association of Women’s Health Obstetrics and Neonatal Nurses. Along with more accolades through multiple career achievement awards, his most recent is the Lifetime Achievement Award — he is the youngest to ever receive the award.
Dr. Kenon has provided groundbreaking lectures in six continents of the world, published multiple leading research papers, and is a recognized international leader in maternal child health. During the ceremony, he thanked his family, and his original nurse manager and preceptor, Arlene Waters and Rosetta Jessup, as they watched from an audience of thousands of nurses.
A graduate of James Sprunt Community College, Dr. Kenon started working in maternity nursing in Kenansville. He went on to graduate school at Winston-Salem State and UNC Charlotte.
“I got a call one day to go and work at the Indian Health Service and I went to North and South Dakota and lived there for several years and did a lot of work around elevating the status of maternal child health on American Indian reservations on the plains.”
Dr. Kenon’s work in maternal child health has drawn applause from the World Health Organization, UNICEF, the Cabinet, the Surgeon General, and the White House. He has supported indigenous and marginalized communities over the years in topics such as breastfeeding and lactation amongst much more.
He advanced maternal child survival through his visits to over thirty countries and his research has been used throughout the world. “I had the opportunity to visit every state within the United States as well as every territory. All of that work has been around creating environments that allow people to thrive — marginalized persons, those with disabilities, LGBTQ individuals, and of course, women and their babies.”
“It has just been the most amazing journey as a nurse that started off in rural southeastern North Carolina and to now represent the interest of the United States all over the world — it’s a journey that I would do all over again if given the opportunity.”
He was recruited back to the East Coast to be a scientist while he was finishing his post-doctorate at the University of Tennessee. Equality in health was something he grew up valuing since he found that many people in rural communities are counted out and typically disregarded in nationwide conversation.
He was the youngest person representing the United States in the room with people from Ivy Leagues to individuals from larger cities at these conferences and labs yet he still believed that he deserved a seat at the table.
“I am a rural American and I’ve been very committed to rural communities.”
“When I won this award, I brought my nursing instructor from James Sprunt with me to Phoenix.” Several people were in attendance from Duplin County as he got this award. With thousands in attendance in Arizona, it was incredible to see close colleagues and friends from Duplin County in the front row.
“I still knew that I belonged because the community I grew up in always made it clear that people like me had as much to give in changing and making the world a better place as anyone else.”
He believes that the true heroes are the teachers and nurses and members of public service that help cultivate members of Duplin County. His elementary school teachers at Rose Hill Magnolia co-signed his dream to be a nurse since he was in the third grade, and how to this day he receives a nurses week card from his third grade teacher Ms. Maggie Newkirk.
“When I was in the third grade, I told her as a black man that I wanted to be a nurse. In that opportunity, there were so many things that she could have said…she looked at me and she said, ‘and become a nurse, you shall.’”
Other elementary school teachers “wrote those dreams in the sky” by animating and reaffirming Dr. Kenon’s interest by believing that he could become a nurse and scientist.
The support such a community had was part and parcel with all his successes. He dedicated the Lifetime Achievement award to Duplin County natives who have passed away including Mr. James Mainor from Rose Hill, Ms. Geraldine Best of Warsaw, and Mrs. Treva Glaspie of Rose Hill — all of whom believed in his dream to be a nurse and were staunch supporters of his career.
Whether he is transforming healthcare systems on reservations or implementing diplomacy, Dr. Kenon has found ways to co-create infrastructures to empower women’s reproductive health. His groundbreaking work in nursing gave him the inspiration to find a career in the medical field. Dr. Kenon encourages students to study nursing as it is powerful and impactful.
“No matter where life takes you — the honor and dedication that one should have to their home community is always an illuminating factor of someone’s character and true dedication to their mission in life.”
Dr. Kenon continues to connect with local educators, family, and nonprofits. His pride as a rural American has allowed him to walk boldly into these spaces to forge a path ahead that proves that dreams do come true.
“I will forever be grateful to my small town and local community for making those dreams become realities through their sowing of knowledge and encouragement.”
Perhaps from now on we will need to change the spelling to Kenonsville!
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