Mom’s death motivates woman to pursue nursing career

by Jada Chambers

A young woman, whose passion for nursing was ignited after she lost her mother to a terminal illness, graduated as valedictorian of the Nursing Division at the St Vincent and the Grenadines Community College(SVGCC).

Chelsea Bradshaw, a 23 year old woman from Brighton, was awarded the Divisional Award for Excellence in Nursing Education at the SVGCC’s graduation ceremony, at the Victoria Park on June 25, 2024, which saw a total of 691 students graduating.

Bradshaw, who was also the top performer in the Information and Communication Technology Programme at the SVGCC Division of Technical and Vocational Education (DTVE) told SEARCHLIGHT on July 3 that while growing up, her mother would consistently encourage her and her siblings to work hard and strive for the very best in everything that they do.

But, just as Bradshaw concluded her primary school education at the Brighton Methodist School, and was about to enrol at the St. Joseph’s Convent Kingstown, her mother died from a terminal illness.

“This experience shattered my entire heart. At that point in my life it felt like this would be the end.”

She said moving past her mother’s death was not easy. In fact, life generally was not easy, “but I refuse to get into all that information because if I do, this would be an entire story book. However, I’ve always been hard working and resilient. After all the obstacles that I faced, I knew that I had to become a great contributor to society after seeing how my mom suffered during her illness,” Bradshaw related.

“ I knew that I wanted to dedicate my life to helping others in the same capacity as the nurses did to my mother.”

Still grieving over the loss of her mother, juggling numerous assignments, studying late nights for exams, and having to endure extensive hours of reading, Bradshaw was “excited to share the great news” with her family that she emerged as the top performer in her division.

“This journey wasn’t an easy one, but this calling has shaped my life not only on an academic level but it also helped me to become a better person,” Bradshaw told SEARCHLIGHT, while adding that she has learnt to internalize core values such as respect, empathy, teamwork, confidence and dedication.

Bradshaw, who aspires to become an Orthopaedic nurse, is advising the youth to pursue their passion and to find what truly excites and motivates them.

“I would always like to give advice to young girls who have lost their mom. I know that this wouldn’t be an easy journey and your life would never be the same and you can grieve for however long you want to, but I would advise you to take this situation as motivation to do better for yourself.”

She also advises youth to embrace the challenges, as success is often born out of setbacks.

“Use these opportunities for growth and learning and…take care of yourselves,” she added.

Bradshaw is grateful for everyone who has supported her throughout her journey.