A Mother’s Sacrifice: Nicole Prawl gives her all to her children

From sleepless nights to making tough decisions about finances, every parent knows the level of sacrifice and perseverance that parenthood demands. With a 17-year-old and 11-year-old twins, Nicole Prawl is all too familiar with the degree of selflessness required. Her eldest, Theo, who recently graduated from Kingston College, has had his own struggles battling with Marfan syndrome, a genetic disorder of the connective tissue.

“This has resulted in him being admitted in hospitals frequently, which affected his school attendance and, consequently, his academic performance,” Prawl explained. The results from his Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) exams were not what they hoped for, but Prawl says Theo is not deterred.

“He’s not giving up. He intends to resit and gain the necessary qualifications to pursue tertiary education.”

Tower of support

His mother stands behind him as a tower of support and asserts that she will continue to make the necessary sacrifices to see to his success, just as she did to improve his health.

The degree to which persons are affected by Marfan syndrome varies. Most persons tend to be tall and thin, with long arms, legs, fingers, and toes. While Prawl acknowledges the prevailing limitations that exist for Theo, she is committed to being there for him and providing a solid education for him and his siblings.

With the new school year now under way, Prawl’s focus is on ensuring that the twins are settled in their news schools. Tevin and Thaylia recently sat the Primary Exit Profile (PEP) examinations and passed for Wolmer’s Boys’ School and Immaculate Conception High School, respectively.

“The twins are rearing to go. We got some help for back to school when I won $10,000 in the Malta promotion this summer and they are excited about their new schools,” she said. With the support of her husband, who plays an active role in her children’s lives, the family has high hopes for an excellent school year.

Prawl, who is a librarian at the National Library of Jamaica with both a bachelor’s and master’s degree in library and information studies, says she was taught at a very early age by her single-parent mother that education was important. The teachings of her mother echo loudly, as today she instils these same values in her children, making the sacrifices necessary to ensure they are well educated.

“As a family, my husband and I work together and push through our trials. I want my children to understand that every sacrifice made is for their well-being and development. I will never regret giving my very last for my children,” said Prawl with conviction.

“We are inspired by Nicole and families like hers, parents who are super committed to their children and realising their dreams. This is what the Malta ‘Back 2 School Promotion is all about,” said Michelle Cunningham, junior brand manager for stouts and Malta. The promotion, which began in July, awards 13 winners each week with cash and other prizes towards back-to-school costs. Among the prizes in the promotion are book vouchers, laptops and tablets, and two $500,000 grand prizes courtesy of NCB Insurance Omni Educators, towards tertiary education.