AS Guyana prepares to celebrate International Women’s Day 2011, the nation reflects, with pride and appreciation, on the invaluable contribution made by the longest serving Amerindian nurse, Sybil Adinah James.
She gave 42 years of dedicated service, as a nurse/midwife and, for the most part, worked alone in remote hinterland communities, delivering hundreds of babies, many nurtured as her own.
The biologial mother of four and grandmother of seven, having lived a full life serving God and humanity, passed away last February 16, at St. Joseph Mercy Hospital, after a prolonged illness.
She was 71 and her death shocked many who knew her and whose lives her tender, caring hands and amazing generosity touched.
James hailed from Tapakuma in Essequibo and, in keeping with her lifetime request, her remains were taken back there on February 19, following a thanksgiving mass for her life at St. George’s Cathedral in Georgetown.
Her body was transported to be interred at St. Denny’s Mission, after a service where the celebrant was the Very Reverend Terry Davis. The homily was delivered by Reverend Raymond Coxall who, as a lad, grew up under the tutelage and watchful eye of Nurse James, at Morawhanna, North West District, one of the many hinterland locations where she served.
She has also left to mourn, two sons, two daughters, seven grandchildren, sisters, brothers and other relatives.
In September 2008, in observance of Amerindian Heritage Month and in recognition of her outstanding service, the Guyana Chronicle featured James, who started her nursing career in 1967 at the age of 27. She retired in 1995 at age 55 but was twice called out of retirement and rehired on contract.
Her first posting had been at Bartica, after which she worked at several hospitals and health centres, including Mabaruma and Morawhanna, with Barama Company Ltd. She was also posted at clinics in Region Four (Demerara/Mahaica) and retired from Georgetown Public Hospital’s Ante-Natal Clinic.
Her post-retirement contractual service was at Lusignan Health Centre and the C.C. Nicholson Hospital at Nabaclis, both on the East Coast Demerara.
Fearless, indefatigable and a heroine by any standard, even at age 69, when she finally quit working, James loved a challenge and was always determined to emerge the victor.
Her longest posting was at Morawhanna where she spent 11 years, doing many of her night deliveries with the aid of a tiny kerosene lamp before the remote community received electricity.
Epitomising the life of the legendary Florence Nightingale, Sybil James, during her time at Morawhanna, laboured selflessly, doing whatever she could to maintain the standard of the tiny hospital. Always reaching out, she ensured that not only the health needs of residents were met but was always eager to share a meal, offer counselling and guidance or do whatever it took to make persons feel comfortable.
Having been intimately involved with families, in the delivery, rearing and caring for children through the years, she told the Sunday Chronicle, in the feature, that it broke her heart whenever children were ungrateful to parents, and did things to cause them shame and grief.
A stickler for discipline, she never had such experiences with her two sons and two daughters who remained loyal to her to the time of her death.