From Robin’s Hall to Florida healthcare pioneer

From a childhood in Robin’s Hall, Manchester, to the opening of two medical facilities in Coconut Creek, Florida, Dr Rose Marie Adamson-Lewis has charted a path in healthcare that she once never imagined for herself.

The Jamaica-born nurse practitioner and medical entrepreneur recently opened the two facilities to serve Caribbean immigrant communities in the area, adding another milestone to a career that has spanned healthcare, academia, entrepreneurship and community advocacy.

Yet, her journey into medicine was far from straightforward. Growing up, Adamson-Lewis had set her sights on becoming a defence attorney, even securing a place at law school before circumstances forced her to reconsider her ambitions.

“My first love was to become a defence attorney. I actually passed the LSAT with high scores and was accepted to Shepherd Broad Law School, Nova Southeastern University but had to turn it down,” she said.

Adamson-Lewis explained that the restrictions on the number of hours she could work while studying would have made it difficult to support herself and her relatives in Jamaica.

“I had to put bread on the table and with that I completed the nurse practitioner programme and never looked back,” she said.

Entering the medical profession was the last thing on her mind, she told The Gleaner, recalling that she once had a “weak stomach”.

It was her husband who encouraged her to pursue nursing, a decision she eventually embraced partly because of the loss of her mother to complications associated with non-communicable diseases.

“After my husband encouraged me to go into nursing I never hesitated because I felt that if I had a better knowledge of the medical field my mother would not have died from complications of non-communicable diseases, hypertension and diabetes,” she said.

Today, that decision has shaped both her professional career and her commitment to improving access to healthcare, particularly mental health services.

HUMBLE BEGINNINGS

Adamson-Lewis’ story began in Robin’s Hall, where she grew up as one of 11 children. She attended Robin’s Hall All-Age School before moving on to Holmwood Technical High School.

Although her parents lived nearby, she was raised primarily by her maternal grandmother. She excelled academically and credits her father with instilling in her the values that have guided her throughout her life.

“He always told me to have an eagle mentality and not to walk with crowds,” she told The Gleaner.

After leaving school, she spent three years teaching at Robin’s Hall at the invitation of the school’s principal. She was subsequently accepted into Shortwood Teachers’ College, but her plans took another turn when she migrated to the United States (US) in 1982.

She initially settled in the Bronx, New York, where she sought employment to help support relatives back home in Jamaica.

Although she had hoped to attend medical school, her plans changed after she met and married her husband. The couple moved to Florida in 1985, where she entered the banking industry and worked for several institutions.

Her departure from banking came after she was overlooked for a promotion that went to someone she had trained. The disappointment prompted her to reconsider her professional direction.

Encouraged by her husband, she pursued nursing, first training as a licensed practical nurse (LPN) before advancing to become a registered nurse.

She subsequently earned a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree from the University of Miami and became board-certified as a Family Nurse Practitioner, specialising in psychiatric disorders and mental health.

Adamson-Lewis also completed a Master of Business Administration at Miami Regional University, strengthening the business skills that would later support her entrepreneurial ventures.

A CALLING BEYOND THE CLINIC

Now an associate professor of pathophysiology and mental health, Adamson-Lewis is involved in educating the next generation of healthcare professionals while pursuing her own initiatives to expand access to care.

She is the founder and owner of Total Healthcare Services & Wellness and established Rose’s Garden of Hope Foundation, a non-profit organisation focused on creating opportunities in healthcare, education and youth advocacy.

Her work has also extended beyond the US. A proud representative of Jamaica in the southeastern US, she has spent more than two decades contributing to the Jamaican Diaspora Movement.

She served two terms as president of the Jamaica Diaspora Southern US and was treasurer of the Jamaican Diaspora Advisory Board for the southern US. She is also president of the Caribbean American Democratic Club of Broward County.

Her commitment to Jamaica is reflected in her participation in medical missions and her adoption of the Robin’s Hall Health Centre, through which she has maintained a connection to the community where her journey began.

Her advocacy for youth empowerment has taken her to the United Kingdom (UK), France, the Caribbean and The Cayman Islands, while a recent visit to South Africa has created further opportunities for her work.

As a member of the Caribbean Anti-Trafficking Committee and Partners for Youth Foundation, she continues to support initiatives aimed at addressing social challenges and improving the lives of vulnerable groups.

BREAKING THE MENTAL HEALTH STIGMA

Mental health remains central to Adamson-Lewis’ professional and community work. Through healthcare services, public education and advocacy, she has sought to encourage greater awareness of psychiatric disorders and challenge the stigma that often prevents people from seeking help.

Her public engagements have included appearances on Jamaican television programmes such as Profile with Archibald Gordon and Smile Jamaica with Neville Bell. She has also appeared on NBC 6 South Florida, WSVN 7 South Florida and WAVS radio, using the platforms to discuss mental health and community empowerment.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, she emerged as an advocate for telehealth, using the approach to address maladaptive behaviours, mental health deficits and psychiatric disorders.

Her message has reached audiences in the US, the UK, Europe and the Caribbean. A recent address on WAVS radio also attracted international attention, with translations into Mandarin extending the discussion to Asian audiences.

Her efforts have earned her several awards and distinctions.

In 2022, she received the Lifetime Achievement Award for Community Service and Volunteerism from US President Joe Biden. The following year, she was appointed a liaison to the White House Faith-Based Cabinet Offices.

During the 79th United Nations General Assembly in September 2024, she received the Humanitarian Award at the International Day of Conscience at the United Nations, as well as the Key to the City of New York and the Conscience Clock Award from the Federation of World Peace and Love.

In January 2025, she received the Health International Distinguished Leadership Award from the Caribbean and African Faith-Based Leadership Conference during its World Leaders Peace and Harmony Ball on Capitol Hill.

Later that year, Florida State Representative Marie Woodson presented her with the Exceptional Women Award in recognition of her community leadership and support for women. She also received the Jamaican Milestone Award in the healthcare category from the Jamaica USA Chamber of Commerce.

Her accomplishments have continued into 2026, with two Congressional Awards recognising her community work and advocacy for people affected by mental illness.

In February, she was crowned Senior Miss Black America Florida for Jamaica at an event in Houston, Delaware, becoming the first Jamaican to hold the title. She used her platform to promote mental health awareness, performing a ballet routine to Gramps Morgan’s People Like You.

She is scheduled to receive the Queen Mode Award on November 7.

LOOKING AHEAD

Adamson-Lewis’ work continues to span healthcare, education and humanitarian service. In May this year, she was invited to Boston to engage with researchers from Harvard and other universities collaborating on efforts to end cancer. She was also invited to Jamaica as a representative of the Jamaican Diaspora to present the US President’s Award.

Despite the recognition she has received, she remains focused on the work she believes matters most: improving health outcomes, expanding access to care and helping people overcome the stigma associated with mental illness.

For a woman who once imagined herself arguing cases in a courtroom, her professional journey has taken an unexpected turn. Rather than pursuing justice through the law, she has found a calling in helping people navigate some of their most difficult health challenges.

“I have come to know now that where I am, is where God wants me to be – touching lives internationally through telehealth, promoting better health and working hard to break the stigma of mental health illness,” she told The Gleaner.

Through her expanding healthcare ventures and continued community advocacy, Adamson-Lewis is seeking to ensure that her work reaches beyond the clinic, touching lives in Florida and in the Jamaican communities she has never stopped serving.

editorial@gleanerjm.com