Cancer survivor celebrates 106th birthday

By Anesta Henry

Barbados’ oldest cancer survivor Rosalie Bailey celebrated her 106th birthday on Tuesday.

Surrounded by family and friends at her Waterhall Land, Eagle Hall, St Michael, home, she told Barbados TODAY she was grateful to reach yet another milestone.

Hair neatly braided and dressed in a green dress, the smiling centenarian said she was blessed to have God at her side as she continued her earthly walk.

“Only God knows. Work hard, eat well, go to church, come back home, go and pick a rest, dress again and go back to church again and pray to the Lord to help you to see many more years,” said Bailey who was born at Free Hill, Black Rock but lived most of her adult life at Waterhall Land.

“I don’t always pray but I sing. If you come suddenly on me you would catch me humming. All the songs that we sing at church I would lay down in my bed and hum them,” the longstanding member of the Emmanuel Baptist Church added.

The mother of seven children who also has many grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren, underwent a successful surgery for
vulvar cancer at age 95.

Reverend Dr Lucille Baird visited Bailey’s home where she presented her with a birthday gift and blessed her with a prayer.

“I really commend Ms Bailey to the care of the Lord; it’s the Lord that has kept her. Long life and peace come from the Lord. Our breath comes from the Lord, which is keeping her alive. You would realise that most of the centenarians are women because the women go to church and pray and sing and get happy.

“So, I actually encourage the men to find the same route; get to church, love the Lord, serve the Lord and you will be blessed with long life and peace,” Reverend Baird said.

Against the background of reports of the elderly being abused, the religious leader called for measures to be implemented to protect people within this vulnerable group.

“We have been seeing a lot of the elderly people being treated very badly and they are not protected. Some of them are dying alone and some of them are being robbed and abused,” she said.

Meanwhile, head of CBL Chambers attorney-at-law Corey Beckles and his staff presented Bailey with a birthday cake to celebrate her “rich and full life”.

“Our presence, I hope, would have brought a smile and a happy cheer to her heart. We expect to see her again next year for her 107th birthday. We pray that God will give her a wonderful, long life, and many more fulfilling and rich years,” Beckles said.

The attorney-at-law explained that his team had drafted legislation to protect the elderly, a copy of which will be presented to the media shortly.

anestahenry@barbadostoday.bb