The Tribune

By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS

Tribune Staff Reporter

lmunnings@tribunemedia.net

THE Ministry of Health has renamed the Fox Hill Clinic in honour of four distinguished Bahamian nurses who were born, raised, and served the Fox Hill community for decades.

The facility is now called the C.C.C.L.J. Clinic, recognising the contributions of Nurses Brendel Cox, Sybil Curtis, Celeste Lockhart and Mary Johnson.

Brendel Cox, born in 1934 and died in 1994, was described as a pioneering Bahamian nurse and midwife. After three decades of service in clinics, she devoted her retirement to ministry and community outreach in the Fox Hill community.

Sybil Curtis, born in 1923 and died in 2024, was a Bahamian nurse celebrated as “a nurse with the healing hands”. She was widely known for her deep faith, compassion and commitment to patient care.

Mary Johnson was born in Fox Hill and pursued nursing from the age of 16. She trained at Princess Margaret Hospital and furthered her studies abroad in the United Kingdom, Jamaica and the United States. She had a 47-year career in nursing and retired in 2008.

Celeste Lockhart, a retired principal nursing officer, gave 39 years of service in community nursing. Over the course of her career, she earned numerous national and professional honours, including the Queen’s Certificate and Badge of Honour and the National Order of Distinction.

Also recognised during the ceremony was Nurse Enid Cooper, born in 1921 and died in 2002, a devoted caregiver whose lifelong service in hospitals, clinics and the Fox Hill community brought healing, safe deliveries and accessible healthcare to generations of residents.

Fox Hill MP Mr Fred Mitchell, along with Minister of Health Dr Michael Darville and Freetown MP Mr Wayne Munroe, delivered brief remarks at the ceremony. First Lady Mrs Ann-Marie Davis was also in attendance.

During the ceremony, Mr Mitchell highlighted the clinic’s longstanding service to the Fox Hill community and noted that the renaming honours the legacy of individuals who have made significant contributions to public health in The Bahamas. He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to strengthening community healthcare and ensuring access to quality medical services.