No ordinary reunion

Chester Francis-Jackson, Contributor

Thirty years ago, a group of young women graduated from the University Hospital School of Nursing in what was indeed a very special ceremony. The group consisted of some idealists bent on becoming the next Florence Nightingale, others motivated by the prospects of their earning potential, and others, reluctant-but-certified caregivers whose passion was not necessarily the vocation of nursing, but motivated by other passions such as familial considerations and/or simply availing themselves of the educational opportunity.

Whatever their individual reasons, at the graduation ceremony, one could not help being stuck by the altruism embodied in their chosen graduation 'anthem'- He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother - a powerful song by the Hollies. It spoke to the desire of Batch 84 to use the vocation of nursing to be their brother's keeper.

Anyone vaguely familiar with the song, and a true understanding of the sentiments of the song, would, on the face of it, laud the young women for their commitment while questioning if they fully understood the nature of their supposed undertaking.

It was a sage who once opined that the proof of the pudding is in the eating. And, indeed, it is, as now 30 years on, the graduates have blossomed - having learnt along the way to juggle their lives to accommodate their individual aspirations of family, self-actualisation, pursuit of higher education and entrepreneurial exploits, while remaining committed to their profession of caregivers.

And so it is that today, 30 years later, the batch of '84 - 75 in number - are demonstrating their understanding and embrace of the sentiments of their graduation song.

They have remained in touch despite many residing far and wide. Each year, they get together with their families to celebrate their graduation.

No Ordinary Reunion

Now, this is no ordinary reunion. These women have dedicated their reunion to raising funds and to the promotion and recognition of the value and continuing contribution the University Hospital School of Nursing has and continues to make to medicine. It is an open secret that the export of nurses is one of this country's unofficial primary exports.

The batch of '84 recently gathered in Jamaica for their 30th anniversary celebration. Celebrated over two days, they gathered at the Sunset Jamaica Grande in Ocho Rios, with the formal aspect of the celebration at the University of the West Indies, School of Nursing, in the form of a recognition and awards ceremony.

Dears, another sage once said that a thing of beauty is indeed a joy forever, and truer words might never have been spoken. It was in this context. What is more beautiful than the act of giving? Dears, giving back was their 30th Anniversary theme as they descended on the UWI Mona campus to celebrate. And luvs, it all made for a very moving testimonial.

Dears, in a ceremony chaired by the lovely Devan Oates, it began with a spirited singing of the national anthem. This was followed by prayer by the Reverend Lenworth Haughton and a minute of silence in memory of batchmate Mernel Whitely. There was also a guest performance by Dr Charlie Roberts - a medical student at the time the batch was in residence. There were also greetings from the distinguished Professor Horace Fletcher - the acting dean of the medical sciences UWI and no stranger to the batch. He, too, was a medical student when they were in residence. There were also greetings from Dr Trevor McCartney, CEO of the University Hospital of the West Indies, and it was truly an inspiring outing.

But dears, it got better. In a segment dubbed personal reflections, batchmates Grace Dandy-Coley, Cheryl Spence, and Dr Cherise Francis-Windle spoke to their days in training, their journey as caregivers, and lessons to take away from the experience. Addressing current nursing students, it all made for some heart-warming, soul-baring intervention, and educationally so. But it was during the presentation of awards of recognition to former tutors: Valerie Hardware, Elizabeth Kelly-Anderson; Joy Little; Loraine Reid-Drysdale and Sister Margaret Minott that Lecture Theatre 01 erupted into peals of laughter. The reading of each citation included a bit of history on each tutor, as seen through the eyes of their former students. This included the student's 'nicknames' for them, and dears, we are talking comically so as some of the 'nicknames' produced howls of laughter all around including from the tutors themselves.

teary-eyed rendition

An address by the director of the School Dr Joanna Bennett followed and she was followed by an address by Sasha Parke-Lynch, the executive director of the University Development and Endowment Fund. The ceremony closed with a vote of thanks by Hope White before all joined in affirming the mantra of the batch of '84 by singing He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother. Dears, it was more moving than when they sang it 30 years ago. It made for a teary-eyed rendition for many.

There was a special presentation to the UWI's Development and Endowment Fund, with special mention of Kenny Benjamin of the Guardsman Group; Dwight Moore of KIA Motors; Robert MacMillan of MacMillan Advertisers; and Amaicraft; for their support.

Luvs, lunch and reception followed in the courtyard, and it was truly fabulous to see old friends catching up as they sought to cover the years, and for my word, it was truly a fabulous do.

Among Batch '84 members present were: Dr Cherise Francis-Windle and her daughter Victoria, who jetted in from Orange County, California; the lovely Devan Oates; Carol Wilson, Maria Mitchell, Angella Douglas-Wallace, Dahlia Barrett-Moulton, and Dawn Silvera-Ndure, who all jetted in from New York; Carmen Gaynor-Owens, June Longmore-Cohen, Marforil Bonner, Hope White, Shirlin Marshall-Jones, Verna Barrett-Haughton, and the lovely Cheryl Spence, who all jetted in from Florida. Yvonne Francis-Green, in from Illinois; Ann Butler Gregory, in from Connecticut; Ann Bailey-Forbes and Janet Medley-Bgasse, in from New Jersey; Grace Dandy-Coley, in from Indiana; Hyacinth Martin-Gordon, in from Texas; Helen Frett, in from the British Virgin Islands, and Carolyn Mullings, in from the United Kingdom, with the elegant Valerie Trott-Robinson; Doreen Ferron-Boothe; Dawn Buddle-McNaughton; Yvonne Walters; and Lauren Batchelor-Golding; still residing here in Jamaica. The charmingly lovely Marcia Elliott, also a graduate of the UWI School of Nursing and resident of Long Island, New York, jetted in to share in the celebrations.