Registered nurse, medex and former United States Peace Corps medical officer Jean Vyfhuis nee Campbell, 65, a daughter of Huradiah, Santa Rosa Village, Moruca, was self-motivated to become a professional even though she lived in a home where domestic abuse was prevalent.
“A lot of things motivated me, especially getting away from what I considered an abusive family. My stepdad was very abusive, especially to my mom. As we grew older, we heard some of the worst things ever. When I married my husband who is Black, I heard he was the worst thing ever. To get away from that I moved away from the situation. You got two feet and a brain in your head, keep moving. And if the educational opportunities are free, go for it. That was what I did,” Vyfhuis told Stabroek Weekend in a recent interview.
Vyfhuis was the first child of the late Eloise Campbell. She learnt that her stepfather was not her biological father when she was about eight years old.