Rochelle Allison Bailey — brave, bold, confident

LIFE’S challenges should be regarded as a trampoline — every time you hit a hard surface it propels you upwards to greater heights. So believes Rochelle Allison Bailey, model, philanthropist, and young medical doctor, who says she has unlimited aspirations to not only excel in her chosen field, but to also expand her horizons, activate her latent creative talent, and explore uncharted seas.

Bailey tells All Woman that she is also not only a budding paediatrician, but a poet, gourmet chef, and cuniculturist, and she recently completed her internship at Annotto Bay Hospital in St Mary, and is preparing to become a senior house officer.

“I am a young lady with goals, dreams, and aspirations, and I work assiduously in order to ensure that all my visions come to fruition,” she said.

And true success for her is to achieve all that which is deemed to be beyond reach — and then pay it forward.

And so she is establishing an online charity, Allison’s ONE HOPE, to provide assistance to the needy, the distraught, and the downtrodden. The charity aims to, among other things, demolish the stigma associated with mental health and help uplift, motivate, and provide encouragement to those feeling hopeless, lost, and desolate.

“This organisation was created with a goal in mind — to end the stigma attached to mental health and being that support for others to lean on as far too often individuals with mental health crises are judged, laughed at, or simply viewed as weak and crazy,” Bailey explained. “It is important to have a platform where individuals can feel safe to share their thoughts, feelings, and emotions without feeling stereotyped.”

Along with her sister, fourth-year psychiatry resident at The University of the West Indies Dr Krystle Bailey, the women will help to reinforce the power of speaking out, being a listening ear, and providing the resources necessary for individuals to view life in a different light.

For Bailey, it was her rabbit, Exodus Benjamin Lee, her companion and solace during the lockdowns in 2020 and 2021, who gave her hope, joy, and peace, as she became enamoured with the small mammal’s personality.

“On return to Jamaica I entertained the thought of establishing a farm to breed rabbits for pets, and I am now working on that dream by establishing Bailey Blues farm in Runaway Bay,” she shared. The rabbitry operates under the tag line, ‘Everybody DESERVES a Bunny’.

A Hampton School and Texila American University (Guyana) alumna, Bailey said throughout her life she has recognised that no pathway on which she has trod has been devoid of challenges.

“The hurdles appear in many unpredictable ways,” she said. “But I have always regarded any hurdle as just a pit stop to become re-energised and mentally replenished so that I can reflect on the nature of the challenge and devise strategies to circumvent it.”

She tells the story of being traumatised by a trusted pastor she viewed as an older brother at age 11 and how the impact of this breach caused her to become depressed, withdrawn, and rebellious for years.

“My childhood was grossly impacted by this, but thanks be to God and the encouragement of my family and friends I am now fully reconciled with that traumatic event and have used it as a catalyst to move forward and achieve my dreams,” she said. “I would also like others who may have experienced childhood trauma and felt like giving up to know that life’s challenges should be regarded as a trampoline — every time you hit a hard surface it propels you upwards to greater heights.”

Today, in her quiet times, she reflects on life as a series of dramatic events which can be captured in poetry. She has written over 200 poems in the last year and her manuscript is now ready for publication.

“The poems I have written [have] themes, such as suicide and success, friends and family, truth and lies, beauty and betrayal,” she said.

She is most proud of her book of poems Allison’s Journey — Sonnets of Love, Relationships, Nature,Family, Triumphs and Resilience, and says she’s motivated by dad, Adjunct Associate Professor Dr Alverston Bailey, who is her “pillar of hope, role model, and anchor”.

“I enjoy following in his footsteps … I would say that I am an acorn from the oak tree,” she said.

“For me, medicine is a science and an art, it affords you the opportunity to care for others and I experience a special gratification when my efforts are rewarded and lives are saved and my patients’ quality of life improves.”

Modelling, which she had been doing professionally for five years, she said, is a manifestation of her creativity and ability to think out of the box, “recognising that one’s profession should not restrict your other capacities to display other talents that you might have”.

“Medicine, however, comes first,” she emphasised. “Once all my patients have been duly taken care of, then I can engage in my other passions. In my quiet moments I engage in promotional modelling, photo shoots, product photography, and perfect my craft in being a brand ambassador.”

Bailey explained that to be successful as a doctor, one has to be knowledgeable, confident, self-assured, poised, and adaptable, and the field of modelling has helped her to fine-tune those skills.

“Modelling allows me to be more confident and comfortable around my patients, and it gives me that extra push to simply be the best version of myself whilst providing excellent care.”

After all, women are capable of doing just about anything.

“A woman is the full circle,” she posits. “It’s the journey, not the end, that matters. She is a mother, lover, sister, and daughter … and everything in between. Within her is the power to create, nurture, and transform; she is filled with good instincts, passionate creativity, and ageless knowing.”

She said once a woman discovers how to tap into her power of femininity and womanhood, she becomes balanced and connected.

“And that is when she is the most powerful. So embrace your femininity and celebrate the changes in your life through good times and bad; you are unstoppable. Be the full circle and become the woman you always admired.”

While Bailey completes her “never typical” days, making emergency calls, attending clinics, and doing ward rounds, on her days off she indulges in her other passions, which usually means a full day of modelling, cooking or writing poetry, and grooming her pets.

She said she would like to be an example to all young women who have dreams and goals but feel inhibited.

“To them I say life is a garden, go forth and be who you want to be. Live this moment in time, just be yourself, and your dreams will be realised.”

She added, “I would like to remind young women that we can shatter the glass ceiling and soar to unlimited heights, so don’t be inhibited by your gender. If you have a talent, use it to the fullest and all your dreams will be fulfilled.”