WELL-KNOWN veteran journalist, Shirley Thomas, who was employed at the Guyana National Newspapers Limited (GNNL), publisher of the Guyana Chronicle, passed away recently while receiving medical care at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation.
Thomas was a freelance journalist at both the Kaieteur News and Guyana Chronicle for years, but spent many years at the latter media organisation, covering the health beat, among other stories.
The Guyana Press Association (GPA), in a statement on Thursday, offered condolences to the family and friends of Thomas.
“Shirley passed away this week after being ill for some time,” the release said.

The GPA said: “She would be remembered by her media colleagues for her soft-spoken approaches to interviews and even advice to her colleagues in the media, her feature stories and her kindness.”
Following Thomas’ death, the media fraternity took to social media in remembrance of her contributions to the media landscape, and reflected on fond memories and the good times they had while working side by side covering many assignments.
“Miss Shirley,” as she was fondly called, was a gentle person whose simple but unique demeanour charmed all that [sic] she encountered, and she spent several years covering health issues which entailed visiting the GPHC almost every day.
She was remembered for her unique style in offering counselling, encouragement, prayers and even remained a while longer at the bedsides of many people who were hospitalised, to comfort them.
Thomas was an emotional person whose stories reflected her humanitarian nature and she utilised the pen to assist many people who needed help in any form.

Thomas’ career in the media began after she obtained a Diploma in Public Communication from the University of Guyana (UG). She later started working as an Information Officer at the GIS before joining Kaieteur News and the Guyana Chronicle.
She spent many years on the job and developed skills in interviewing people, and she gained respect among her colleagues for her self-styled feature stories which captivated many readers.
Her excellence in the media caused her to gain five PAHO/WHO Caribbean Media Awards for Excellence in Health Journalism, two environmental (Biodiversity) Reporting Awards, and a scholarship to attend the International Conference on Environmental Journalism in the Amazon, Brazil, in 2003.

She served as the Campaign Coordinator for the “Me to You” HIV/AIDS Behaviour Change Communication Campaign with the Ministry of Health from 2004 to 2006.
She also volunteered with the Salvation Army Advisory Board – Guyana Division as Secretary and Public Relations Officer, and was a key figure in the Programme of Abstinence for Guyana.
From 2003 to 2006, Thomas headed a media HIV Care and Support Group, supporting orphans and vulnerable children and mothers from the Bourda Prevention-of-Mother-to-Child-Transmission programme, initially funded by the Ambassador’s Fund for HIV.
Her dedication to health journalism was recognised internationally, as she attended multiple Caribbean International HIV Workshops and received the prestigious International AIDS Society Media Scholarship to cover the XVII International AIDS Conference in Mexico City in 2008.
Additionally, she was honoured with a scholarship from the Washington-based National Press Foundation for training in HIV/AIDS reporting, becoming a ‘J-2-J-‘’ Fellow in Health and Science Reporting.