Page 51 - UWI Class of '74 Memory Lane

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HENRY-HEYWOOD, Sonia
1974 Biography 2018
Paediatrics, Jamaica
After Graduating in 1974, I worked at the following hospitals in Jamaica: 1. Spanish Town Hospital (for Internship)
2. University Hospital (during post-graduate training in Paediatrics)
3. Bustamante Hospital for Children (for over 30 years)
4. Neonatology unit at Victoria Jubilee Hospital (post-retirement apt. to present time)
I specialized in Paediatrics and hence worked at Bustamante Hospital, climb thru' the ranks from junior doctor, Resident to Consultant Pediatrician supervising a Paedatric Medicine firm for over 25 years. Finally, becoming the hospital’s “Senior Medical Officer” until retirement (Official retirement at age 60 years)inyear2010. Duringthoseyears,IwasageneralPaediatricianmanagingandtreatingallpatients with all types of paediatric conditions from the newborn to 12 years old. Then, the hospital had no doctors trained in the subspecialties, so we had to manage patients with cardiology, endocrinology, oncology, neurosurgery, pulmonary, haemotology, etc conditions. We also trained undergraduates and postgraduate medical students in paediatrics and I sat on the UWI Paed specialty board for years.
In 1977, I got married to Lawton Heywood, attorney-at-law. We met during undergraduate training at UWI as he was doing his first degree in economics, then and later did law. He was in the second batch of law students at Norman Manley Law School. I have two beautiful daughters – Natalya and Leana-Alicia who are adults now of course, and two gorgeous grandchildren, Ayanna and Zayn.
I am presently working as a consultant paediatrician in the Neonatal care unit, Victoria Jubilee Hospital, the largest maternity unit of Kingston. This hospital delivers approximately 8000 babies annually. This unit is presently being developed into a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.
I have been truly blessed to be a part of the class of 1974, and also to have been able to serve my country in the many ways outlined above.