Recently retired registered midwife Verna White-Brown was pleasantly surprised during what was expected to be a regular day of worship at the Seventh Day Adventist Church, located near the cemetery in Lluidas Vale, St Catherine North West.
Two women from the community – Joyce Clunie and Maxine Slue – pulled off one of the most effective ‘surprise’ presentations for the stalwart fondly referred to as Nurse Brown.
“I am happy this morning (21 October 2018),” she said after the surprise soaked in. “Thank you all for surprising me; it brought tears to my eyes.”
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Nurse Brown retired in June this year after serving Lluidas Vale and surrounding communities for 47 years, delivering some 3,000 babies.
It was Clunie’s brainchild to honour Nurse Brown; Slue joined the plan.
Both ladies presented gifts to the healthcare provider; they also lauded her for her decades of top-notch service.
“I have it in mind to give nurse a little token a long time ago because Nurse is a very nice woman,” Clunie told the congregation, adding: “She is very faithful and kind… No matter what you are going through, Nurse always encourage you.”
Slue, in the meantime, presented Nurse Brown with a framed photograph of herself. She said Nurse Brown delivered her children without taking a dollar.
Relatives of the 70-year-old stalwart, in a written tribute sent to The Beacon, hailed the retired midwife as a tower of strength.
“Discipline is the bridge between goals and accomplishment. This statement epitomizes the work that Nurse Verna White-Brown – our mother, grandmother, and a mother to everyone – has accomplished over the years.”
READ: Nurse White-Brown | a super woman in rural Jamaica
The family added: “You (Nurse Brown) have been a stalwart and a tower of strength to our family, providing stability at all angles.
“We congratulate you on this major milestone. After years of hard work, dedication and discipline, it is now time to advance to another chapter. On achieving this significant milestone, we salute you,” the family added.
Councillor for the Lluidas Vale Division in the St Catherine Municipal Corporation Hugh Graham, in a written tribute also sent to The Beacon, spoke highly of Nurse Brown’s professionalism.
“I would like to recognize retired Nurse Brown for her sterling service as a midwife at the Lluidas Vale Health Centre….” Graham said.
He continued: “Nurse Brown is known to have a wonderful demeanor and is very professional. Her level of care to mothers and children while she was a nurse is commendable. For this, we are extremely grateful as her contributions have not only been to the community of Lluidas Vale, but also to the entire North West St Catherine constituency. She has left a strong legacy for the younger nurses walking in her stead to follow.”
Here are some moments captured at the church where Nurse Brown was honoured:
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