The Tribune

By DENISE MAYCOCK

Tribune Freeport Reporter

dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

THE family of the late Nurse Lula Poitier-Knowles continued her legacy of giving and caring for the sick by making a donation of money, children’s books and DVDs to the Rand Memorial Hospital’s Paediatric Unit, which is named in her honour.

Nurses from the Lula Knowles Paediatric Unit were also presented with a huge basket of flowers. They were very grateful for the gifts, which will help to cheer up young patients while they are recovering in hospital.

Charisse Brown, the daughter of Nurse Knowles, along with her sisters, aunts, and other family members, made the donation on Saturday. It is something Ms Brown and her family do every year to celebrate the life of her mother who was a “stellar” nurse for over 30 years in the public health care system.

Mrs Knowles served 35 years in nursing in Nassau and Grand Bahama. She received her training in the United Kingdom in 1954, in general nursing, midwifery, and a specialisation in ophthalmic nursing. She obtained further qualifications in nursing administration at the University of West Indies, in Jamaica.

She was promoted to senior nursing officer and transferred to Rand Memorial Hospital, where she was later promoted to principal nursing officer.

“We publicly would like to thank the RMH for naming the paediatric unit after our mother, our sister, our aunt. My mother saw nursing as a calling; it was not just a job. She genuinely cared for patients and she had a hallmark for excellence. We are honoured that the hospital has seen it fit to bestow this honour on her. We also want to give back as she did during her life,” her daughter said.

Sherone Singh, senior assistant hospital administrator, thanked the Poitier family for the donation.

“We are grateful when persons come and give back and (the late) Ms Knowles was a wonderful nurse serving at Grand Bahama Health Services, and we want to thank you for making this donation to the Paediatric Unit,” she said.

Nurse Sharon Roye Garvey, unit supervisor in Paediatric Unit, said the donation would aid patients in their recovery.

“The nurses, parents, and volunteers we (all) can read and entertain the patients during their time of sickness. We are grateful to the family and it is a pleasure to have all of them here,” she said.

Nurse Garvey recalled when she first met Nurse Knowles.

“Sister Knowles was one the first principal nursing officers here when I came to Grand Bahama and it was a pleasure just knowing her because she was a special lady, and I am so happy to see her entire family here giving back in her memory,” she said.