As we celebrate Nurses Month, I have the honour of introducing another important contributor to Bermuda’s healthcare system.

Ivena Laurenceo is an unassuming, humble person who carries herself with an air of professionalism and dignity. Although I worked with her at the Ministry of Health and have maintained a friendship since we met in 1972, I had no concept of her achievements in further education. I should not have been surprised, as her maiden name is Furbert and she is a descendant and sibling of many of Bermuda’s exemplary educators and trailblazing nurses. Nursing and education are part of her genetic make-up.

Ivena completed her Cambridge School Certificate at The Berkeley Institute in 1955, and at the age of 16 began teaching at The Central School (now Victor Scott Primary School). Later, she was transferred to her alma mater, Francis Patton Primary School. Her teaching ability was observed and she was offered a government teacher’s training scholarship, which she respectfully declined. Ivena wanted to be a nurse, and from an early age could be seen administering first aid to her siblings with a skill beyond her years. It seems she was destined to be a nurse.

Ivena Furbert entered the Charing Cross Hospital in London in 1957 and completed her training as a state-registered nurse, remaining there for a year as a staff nurse. In order to obtain the Charing Cross Medal, nurses had to remain at the hospital for four years. This medal is very distinctive as it is a replica of the George Cross. The King gave permission for it to be used as a reward for the exceptional care the hospital gave to one of his valued cavalrymen, who had suffered an injury as a result of a fall from his horse.

Charing Cross Hospital was established in 1818, but closed in 1973 when the new Charing Cross (Fulham) was built. Today, the old building houses the Charing Cross Police Station.

It was in 1960, while studying at the Westminster Reference Library, that she met Jamaican Don Laurenceo, who was studying philosophy, politics and economics at Oxford University. They married 2½ years later at St Martin’s in the Fields Church, which was described as an architectural jewel sitting at the corner of one of the world’s most famous squares.

Just before her marriage in 1962, Ivena completed her SCM midwifery qualification at the British Hospital for Mothers and Babies and Woking Maternity Hospital, and chose a surprising professional change. She joined St Luke’s Woodside Psychiatric Hospital as a psychiatric charge nurse, where she remained for six years — working for 12 months on the day shift until her twins were born. After the birth of the children, she returned to work on night duty for five years. Ivena laughingly describes the birth of her twins as “Part 3 Midwifery”.

In 1969, she completed a year at Northwestern University, London, where she attained her Health Visitor’s Certificate and then moved on to work for a year as a health visitor in the London borough of Barnet.

When the family moved to Jamaica in 1970, Ivena was employed as the public health nurse in charge of the Harbour View Health Clinic. There was a doctor in attendance once a week and daily she was greeted by people who had walked for miles to attend. One year later, she was asked to set up an outpatient immunisation clinic at the Bustamante Children’s Hospital in Kingston. She describes these two experiences among the highlights of her career.

The Bustamante Children’s Hospital is the only such facility in the English-speaking Caribbean. It had been a British military hospital, but upon Jamaica’s independence in August 1962, in the wake of the departure of the British, it was transformed into a children’s hospital and named after the country’s first prime minister, Sir William Alexander Clarke Bustamante.

By 1972, the young family moved to Bermuda, where Ivena began employment as a health visitor covering the three eastern parishes. In 1990, she was selected as Government’s health promotion co-ordinator.

She had equipped herself for the position by gaining a BSc in Sociology and Psychology from the University of Maryland, summa cum laude, as a part-time student. She attained an ISM Diploma in Supervisory Management from the Bermuda College and an MA from Webster University in Management and Human Resources Development. She also has a MSc in Education Counselling from Indiana University. It is worth noting that Ivena completed her further education as an evening student or during her summer holidays.

The position of Health Promotion Officer, Ivena explains, “was and still is an important part of the overall health delivery system in a well-ordered society. It allows individuals to be proactive as they improve and increase control over their health”. She was the first to implement a comprehensive, island-wide health promotions programme, from 1990 to 1993.

Dr and Mrs Laurenceo are believers in lifelong education. While Ivena was completing her degrees through evening classes, Don finished his PhD in Finance at Columbia University in New York. Both of their children returned to Bermuda after further education. Their daughter, Katherine (deceased), graduated from Howard University with an honours degree in music education and returned to Bermuda as an educator. Their son, Don Jr, is a corporate lawyer, while his Jamaican-born wife, Novia, is an architect. They have been blessed with two grandsons.

Over the years, Ivena has attended numerous health education and health promotion courses in Canada, United States, England and Jamaica, as well as seminars on HIV-Aids prevention, smoking cessation, heart and other public health topics. She believes that to be more effective at work, it is important to continually upgrade your skills and knowledge.

Ivena’s wealth of knowledge and expertise led her to accept the position of Adjunct Lecturer for the Geriatric Aide Certificate Programme at the Bermuda College from 1983 to 2003.

In 1993, the Ministry of Education selected her to fill the position of Home/School Guidance Counsellor, covering the Lyceum and St George’s preschools, St David’s Primary, East End Primary and Francis Patton Primary. She held this position until her retirement in 2003.

The Laurenceos have travelled extensively. They have visited Africa six times and for many years have supported an orphanage in Ghana. She has walked the Great Wall of China, visited Japan and many other countries closer to home.

Mrs Laurenceo is an accomplished seamstress and, in years gone by, made all the clothes for her children and herself. She is a very spiritual person who grew up worshipping at the Crawl Gospel Hall. The Laurenceos now attend the Harrington Sound Gospel Chapel, where Ivena is the church pianist. She devotes time to gardening and reading the Bible daily in her quest to gaining a greater understanding of its principles. They have been members of Gideons International for 45 years and Dr Laurenceo is its national director.

In 1970, the Laurenceos founded The Sickle Cell Foundation as a support group for people and families in Bermuda affected by sickle-cell disease. They, along with others, were able to fundraise and provide scholarships at the Bermuda College for those who received adverse diagnoses. In 2015, they were recognised for their outstanding contribution to Bermuda and the sickle-cell community.

It has been a privilege to write about this outstanding nurse, who, along with her husband, has contributed so much to this community.

• Cecille Snaith-Simmons is a retired nurse, historian, writer and author of The Bermuda Cookbook. This is the second of a four-part spotlight on Bermudian nurses for Nurses Month