Gwendolyn Spencer

Gwendolyn Spencer
Born Gwendolyn Euphemia Omphroy
(1916-10-26)26 October 1916
Kingston, Jamaica
Died 20 August 2015(2015-08-20) (aged 98)
Meadowbrook, Jamaica
Nationality Jamaican
Other names Gwendolyn Omphroy-Spencer, Gwendolyn Humphrey Spencer
Occupation nurse, midwife
Known for co-founder of the Jamaican Midwives' Association

Gwendolyn Spencer, OD (26 October 1916 – 20 August 2015) was a nurse and midwife, who co-founded the Jamaican Midwives' Association. An advocate for professionalism, she was instrumental in developing training programs for midwives and establishing a professional pay grade from the government for their services. She received the Order of Distinction for her contributions to healthcare in the country.

Early life

Gwendolyn Euphemia Omphroy was born on 26 October 1916 at Victoria Jubilee Hospital (VJH) in Kingston, Jamaica to Violet (née Williams) Omphroy.[1][2] From the age of twelve, Omphroy knew that she wanted to become a nurse.[3] After completing her elementary education in Christiana, she attended Westwood High School in Trelawny Parish and went on to study nursing at Kingston Public Hospital. She completed her studies at Victoria Jubilee Hospital, graduating in 1945.[4]

Career

Upon her graduation, Omphroy began working as a midwife at VJH.[4][5] In 1950, she married Egbert Spencer and the couple subsequently had three children: Wayne, Althea and Noel.[6][3] Receiving a government scholarship, she left her children in care of her husband and went to London to complete a course in training midwives at the University of London. Graduating with a master's degree in 1956, she returned to Jamaica and became a tutoring sister at VJH.[4][5] In 1960, along with Barbara Patterson, Pearlyn Raglan and Ena Wanliss, Spencer co-founded the Jamaican Midwives' Association,[7] becoming the inaugural secretary-treasurer. She went on to serve as president of the organization for a decade[4] and was a staunch advocate for recognition of midwives as trained medical professionals.[3][8] In 1966, the organization gained membership in the International Confederation of Midwives, leading Spencer to travel to various countries like Canada, Germany, Japan, and Switzerland to improve the station of midwives worldwide. In 1969, she was appointed matron at VJH.[4]

Retiring from VJH in 1976, Spencer was hired a few months later to work in the Ministry of Health on the family planning programme.[5] With her retirement, the Midwives Training Programme was phased out at VJH. She led the struggle to have training continue, through the Health Ministry. As midwives were classified under the Ministry of Local Government, Spencer first had to convince the government that the classification of technical support services, did not take into account the specialized nature of midwifery. After presenting job descriptions and gaining approval from the Ministry of Health and Ministry of Public Service, midwives were given their own pay grade.[8] In 1978, Spencer received the Order of Distinction for her contributions to maternal and child care in the country.[9] By 1996, she had helped reestablish the midwife training programme at VJH and develop a program for Cornwall Regional Hospital in Montego Bay.[10] She retired for the second time in 2002.[5]

Death and legacy

Spencer died on 20 August 2015 in Meadowbrook, Jamaica and was buried in Dovecot Cemetery.[2] She is remembered for her pioneering development of midwifery in Jamaica and the founding of the Jamaican Midwives' Association.[11]

References

Citations

Bibliography

  • Barrett, Michelle (10 May 2004). "Gwendolyn Omphroy-Spencer—midwife extraordinaire". Kingston, Jamaica: The Gleaner. p. 31. Retrieved 27 October 2017 – via Newspaperarchive.com.
  • Lim, Ann-Margaret (September 2012). "Remembering Gwendoyln Spencer, OD Midwife extraordinaire". Kingston College Times. Kingston, Jamaica: Kingston College Old Boys' Association. 9. Archived from the original on 25 Mar 2017. Retrieved 27 October 2017. Reprint from The Jamaica Observer
  • Robinson, Douglas (25 July 1990). "Midwives complain...Our services are not recognized". Kingston, Jamaica: The Gleaner. p. 36. Retrieved 27 October 2017 – via Newspaperarchive.com.
  • Ustanny, Avia (15 October 2006). "Work as usual for the Spencers (pt 1)". Kingston, Jamaica: The Gleaner. p. 115. Retrieved 27 October 2017 – via Newspaperarchive.com. and Ustanny, Avia (15 October 2006). "Work (pt 2)". Kingston, Jamaica: The Gleaner. p. 127. Retrieved 27 October 2017 – via Newspaperarchive.com.
  • Wicker, Kathleen O'Brien; Miller, Althea Spencer; Dube, Musa W. (2005). Feminist New Testament Studies: Global and Future Perspectives. New York, New York: Palgrave McMillan. ISBN 978-1-137-11204-0.
  • "Kingston Parish birth registers, 1878-1927: Gwendolyn Euphemia Omphroy". FamilySearch. Spanish Town, Jamaica: Registrar General's Department. 26 October 1916. FHL digital folder #821474. Retrieved 26 October 2017.
  • "Midwifery was widely celebrated in 2008—worldwide, and in countries' own special ways: this round-up concludes the reports from ICM members or local news sources on the International Day of the Midwife, and adds news of some additional activities". International Midwifery. Farmington Hills, Michigan: Gale Cengage Learning for the International Confederation of Midwives. 21 (4). December 2008. ISSN 1560-3296. Retrieved 27 October 2017.
  • "Midwives push for labour's fruits". Kingston, Jamaica: The Gleaner. 5 May 1997. p. 3. Retrieved 27 October 2017 – via Newspaperarchive.com.
  • "Omphroy-Spencer, Mrs. Gwendolyn Euphemia RN, MA, OD". Kingston, Jamaica: The Gleaner. 2 September 2015. p. 57. Retrieved 27 October 2017 – via Newspaperarchive.com.
  • "They received national honours". Kingston, Jamaica: The Gleaner. 23 October 1978. p. 11. Retrieved 27 October 2017 – via Newspaperarchive.com.
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