J’can overcomes bullying to chase science dream

Seeing how much teenage pregnancy hindered relatives from achieving greatness, 26-year-old Samantha Henry was adamant to break the cycle.

She did, and is in her first year of pursuing a PhD in microbiology at the University of Kent in the United Kingdom (UK).

"My long-term goal is to finish my PhD in three years where I can put Jamaican scientists on the map, return to my country where I can educate through the opening of non-profit organisations," Henry told THE STAR. "I have a lot to offer as a scientist to the Jamaican health care system ... I know great things are in the making."

Henry was raised by her grandmother in Point Hill, St Catherine, as her mother had her when she was 16. She left a three-year-old Henry for a better life in the UK.

My father left

"My grandma did a good job but I still didn't have my parents because my father left and was abroad too and I told myself that I can't allow my life to be like that, so I put my foot down," said Henry.

She graduated from Tacius Golding High School in St Catherine with nine Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate subjects, but was constantly ridiculed about her school's perceived status.

"I can remember walking by people in my community and they would say stuff about me being dunce and I just used it for my motivation and prove them wrong," Henry told THE STAR. "I was also bullied because people use to say I have a big head and trust me it was so consistent that it took a toll on me. I even thought about committing suicide but I prayed through it and pushed myself."

Henry migrated to the UK at age 17 and has been making an indelible mark. She spent two years in college studying business and technology education courses, getting high scores.

She then earned a place at the prestigious University of Surrey, where she achieved a bachelor of science degree, with honours, in biomedical science. Henry notes that she did not do a master degree and was "lucky" to get into Kent based on her experience and academic achievements.

At Kent, Henry and colleagues are currently trying to create antibiotics to treat new strains of certain diseases which have become resistant to medication.

She wants her story to motivate those who might think their goals are far-fetched.

"I want young people in Jamaica to know that they can achieve anything they want amid everything that's happening," she said. "Be focused because where you start doesn't determine your future."