BHB Honours Family’s 100 Years Of Service

The Bermuda Hospitals Board [BHB] has taken the time to recognize the Rogers family, highlighting the more than 100 years of service to the organisation represented by brothers Gregory, Berlyn and Winston Rogers, with father Herbert and sisters Charlene and Bernadine also having ties to the BHB.

The article, featured in the BHB’s latest ‘Communiqué’ newsletter [PDF here] says, “Between them, brothers Gregory, Berlyn and Winston Rogers have given BHB over 100 years of service. In addition, their father Herbert worked at KEMH for several decades and sisters Charlene and Bernadine were also employed by the hospital.

“The Rogers family story came to the attention of Communique following the recent exhibition at City Hall highlighting the history of the hospitals and the Acute Care Wing. Photos from the archives were displayed at the exhibit and some were missing descriptions.

“We were delighted to hear from Winston Rogers about a photo of him as a young orderly in the Central Supply Room working the autoclave, which sterilized surgical instruments, bandages, sheets and water. When Winston contacted us to confirm details of his photo, we were surprised to learn that just about his entire family had been involved in service at the hospitals.

“We think Communique readers will enjoy the following story about Winston and his family’s connection to BHB.

“Winston’s father, Herbert “Herbie” Rogers, was the first member of the family to be employed at KEMH. He served as an evening cleaner in the housekeeping department.

“Gregory was the first of the three brothers to work at KEMH. He began as an orderly in 1965 and left in 1975 to study nursing in London. He then returned and worked at MWI for over 20 years, recently retiring after serving as a nurse in the Inpatient Detox unit.

“Brother Berlyn began work at KEMH in 1969 as a houseman and later served as a nursing orderly, working on both medical and surgical wards. He then worked as an orderly in the operating room until he left BHB in 1981.

“His departure didn’t last long.” Winston points out. “He returned as a part time ambulance driver and then went on to work as a nursing assistant at MWI. During his tenure he worked in Mental Health and Learning Disability. He also served as a bus driver for a number of years.

“Berlyn returned as an on-call Community Support worker in 2004 and later became a full time Community Support worker. He is still employed with Learning Disability Services and will be retiring after his 65th birthday next year in March.”

“Charlene began work at KEMH as a maid in 1971 and later served as a nurse’s aide and nursing assistant on the medical and surgical wards, as well as on Gosling. She is currently attending the nursing programme at Bermuda College. Bernadine started working as a short order cook in 1986 at the Pink Café and went on become a supervisor and assistant manager before departing in 2003.

“In 1970 while still attending Bermuda College and undecided about what career path to take, Winston began working at KEMH as a weekend and relief orderly.”

The heading of the BHB newsletter article

“I sat at the front of the hospital and delivered flowers and anything else to the wards,” Winston recalled. “I was later hired to work as a full time orderly and served my longest tenure in the Central Supply Room. It was my job to deliver IV solutions and sterile supplies to the units.

“When they were short on the wards I worked there, when they were short in the recovery room, where my brother Gregory worked, I worked there and when they were short in the operating room, where my brother Berlyn worked, then I worked there. Those were exciting times because I was also called upon to go out on the ambulance.”

“Winston says he was encouraged by nurses Eleanor Penny Brown, Adrian Lightbourne and Shirley Simons to consider a career in nursing because there were few males in the profession. As a result, in 1973, Winston left KEMH to study nursing and ended up following Marvin Glasgow, another Bermudian, who was studying at Guy’s Hospital in London.”

“I returned to Bermuda in 1975 as a nurse and was encouraged Winston and fellow Bermudian Kathy Blyth set a high standard and opened the doors for many more Bermudians, including Debbie and Chris Tuckett, Sandra Jennings, Karen Durham, Angela Ferguson, Philip James, Geraldine Smith, Lauren Grant, Mauresa Scott, Glenda Richardson and Angela Brangman, who all trained as nurses,” he said.

“I began working on Adams Ward and was soon encouraged by Director of Nursing Louie Grant to gain qualifications as a Registered Mental Nurse. So in September 1978, I was seconded by BHB to study at St. Andrew’s Hospital in Northampton, England. This was a pilot programme and it was important for me to conduct myself in such a way that other Bermudians would get the chance to study at this hospital.”

“Winston and fellow Bermudian Kathy Blyth set a high standard and opened the doors for many more Bermudians, including Debbie and Chris Tuckett, Sandra Jennings, Karen Durham, Angela Ferguson, Philip James, Geraldine Smith, Lauren Grant, Mauresa Scott, Glenda Richardson and Angela Brangman, who all trained as nurses.

“Upon his return to Bermuda in 1981, Winston workedat MWI as a Staff Nurse, Junior Charge Nurse, Charge Nurse, Night Administrative Co-ordinator and Mental Welfare Officer. About five years ago, Winston took on the position of Clinical Manager within Community Mental Health.

Winston says that nursing, and especially mental health nursing, remains his passion. “Every opportunity I get, I encourage young people to consider a career in this honourable profession.”

When asked what drove his family to follow careers in healthcare, he said, “We all enjoy helping others. My mother never worked at BHB but she was always taking courses in first aid and she very much enjoyed caring for others. She certainly lit that spark in our lives.”

Winston also shared that his oldest brother Robert was seriously injured in a hit-and-run accident in 1961, saying, “He spent several weeks in hospital and we visited him regularly. Robert had interesting tales to tell us about his stay in hospital and how medical staff fought a long but unsuccessful battle to “save” his leg.

“He was 19 when disaster struck him and today he is one of Bermuda’s longest surviving amputees. His experiences as a patient most likely were defining moments for the rest of us, which lead us down a road to help others.”

“On behalf of BHB colleagues who have known or worked with members of the Rogers family, Communique offers a tremendous word of thanks for their over 100 years of dedicated service to our community.”

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