Rachael Andrade Remembered One Year Later

At a memorial service yesterday [Dec 16] staff and students from the Department of Health and The Berkeley Institute paid tribute to Department of Health nurse Rachael Andrade who died a year ago this week after losing her battle with cancer.

Ms Andrade became the education officer at The Bermuda Cancer and Health Centre in 2001 where she worked for several years before becoming a school nurse with the Department of Health.

At the Department of Health she worked in the Victoria Street Clinic part of the week and also part-time at various schools, primarily at the Berkeley Institute where she was the school nurse.

The memorial service was held at the Berkeley Institute today and saw a cedar tree planted in her honour, along with the installation of a commemorative plaque.

At the ceremony Chief Nursing Officer for the Department of Health Gaynell Hayward said: “By planting this cedar tree we will forever remember someone who truly touched all of the lives of those here today.

“Thank you all for your support. The love we have for Rachael will go on. Every time we will walk past this tree we will remember Rachael…and how her spirit lives on.”

Former Berkeley student Leilani Ible said Nurse Rachael profoundly impacted her life during her time at Berkeley and inspired her to become a nurse.

“Nurse Rachael impacted my life when I was a student attending The Berkeley Institute from 2008-2010,” she said. “Her inspiration and passion for helping others made me want to become a nurse.

“What I remember most about Nurse Rachael is that she was always there for me on both the good and the bad days. I will always remember her.”

Miss Ible will graduate from the Bermuda College’s nursing program next year and plans to further her education overseas by obtaining her Bachelors degree.

Ms Keisha Douglas, Acting Principal at Berkeley, said, “Nurse Rachael was like family. Her smile is something I will never forget. She came to all the staff meetings, participated in every activity we had and it felt like I had known her all of my life. She did her work with pride. We will remember her every year with our Nurse Rachael Andrade Award.”

Among those present today was Ms Andrade’s husband, David Andrade, who thanked organizers for the special tribute to his wife:

“Rachael would have been so humbled by this service today and so am I. She was extremely passionate about health and education…and working here at Berkeley was the perfect fit for her – the best case scenario.

“It is encouraging to know that she touched so many lives and inspired at least one young person to get into the nursing profession – a field which is lacking in Bermudians,” said Mr Andrade.

As a nurse at the Department of Health Ms Andrade was very involved in health promotion and the Well Bermuda team and shared their belief that the promotion of health is fundamental to Bermuda’s prosperity. She was also very involved with the travel clinic and the Flu Express as well as the Child Health Clinic.

Ms Andrade was also relied upon for much of the Department’s creative work which related to health promotion and included the creation of flyers and slogans. She was the creator of the theme song for Bermy Germy [the mascot for the Department of Health].

She was second vice president of the Bermuda Nurses’ Association at the time of her death and was a strong promoter of nursing as a rewarding career opportunity.

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