LOYAL, DETERMINED and dedicated are three words which aptly describe this giant of a woman, Millicent Elizabeth Moodie, whose contribution to Jamaica's health care has left an indelible mark on the minds and hearts of her fellow Jamaicans.
Her long and dedicated service has not gone unnoticed. Ms. Moodie is the recipient of the prestigious 2003 Governor-General Award for excellence for the parish of St. Thomas. She received the award at a ceremony held at the Pegasus Hotel last Wednesday.
Born in Seaforth, St. Thomas on May 31, 1933, Ms. Moodie is one of seven children for Robert Moodie and the only child for Sophia Stewart. Despite extremely difficult economic conditions, she struggled to make good of her life, with the help of her grandfather who assisted her financially towards attending the Seaforth Elementary School.
When her mother's relocation to another district threatened her attendance in school, young Millicent endured the more than eight miles she had to walk to attend the Morant Bay Elementary School. Notwithstanding her desperate efforts, she failed the Third Local Examination on three occasions. But she did not despair. She gained employment at the Sangster's Book Store when she relocated to Kingston with her mother, re-sat the exam and was successful this time.
In furtherance of her goal, Ms. Moodie, in 1959, attended the Caledonia Junior College to upgrade her teaching skills, after which she taught, before migrating to England in 1962.
Interestingly, Ms. Moodie in an interview with The Gleaner yesterday, revealed that attending nursing school was not by design. She applied to and received communication from the Bethlehem Teacher's College to prepare for attendance in September in 1961.
"But, September came and I was not called at all. I just burst out crying, I cried myself for a whole week," she said with laughter in her voice.
She moved on, nevertheless, and completed a three-year nursing course in England where she worked as a State Registered Nurse (RGN), equivalent to a Registered Nurse (RN) in Jamaica.
Millicent Moodie pursued other courses and received several certificates, including a scholarship to the University of the West Indies (UWI) in 1977 after returning to Jamaica.
She is the founder of the first Practical Nursing School in St. Thomas, which she established in 1993, catering mainly to school drop outs and unemployed young people. In 1995, she established the MILVAJA Nursing Home for the Elderly at Port Morant, which presently accommodates 20 patients.
A very modest, Ms. Moodie said she has always endeavoured to make the best of whatever she does. "The aim is to help others to rise above the difficulties and do what is best for the good of humanity."
