Dr. St. Rose is an Integrative Health Care Practitioner, Dermatologist and Consultant Medical Herbalist. Having won a scholarship from CIDA and a UWI Open Scholarship, she graduated from UWI Jamaica in 1979 with a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery degree, after gaining honours in the 2nd MB examinations. After serving her internship at Victoria Hospital in Castries, she became DMO for Castries before moving into private practice. In 1985 she was awarded a Commonwealth scholarship and studied General Practice at St Georges University Medical School in Tooting, England, where she also investigated alternative therapies such as homeopathy and acupuncture. She returned to serve as DMO in Castries , but after getting married returned to England where she furthered studies at the College of Phytotherapy in Sussex, England. While there she also read dermatology at the University of Wales School of Medicine. She started a private clinic as a herbalist to supplement her job with Britain's National Health Service.

Dr. Rose sees her Vision as living a meaningful and influential life, peaceful in herself while helping others. She wants to be a positive inspiration to others.

. Herbal medicine has always been a tradition in the Caribbean. Herbalists have been treating illnesses and diseases for centuries. However, the necessary diagnostic skills for identification of the illness, accurate dosage from of the herbs used and proper documentation and labelling of the mixtures have been lacking. Dr St Rose has created Eden Herbs to fill that void

Description of the business

Dr. Gilbertha St. Rose began production of therapeutic herbal medicine on October 17, 1996 and registered the enterprise as a sole proprietorship on Feb 16th 1999. Eden Herbs now manufactures authenticated herbs with proper labelling and dosage recommendations. All the products are formulated with local herbs, which are well researched. Some single herbs are imported from the U.K. All are organically grown or collected in the wild [wild crafted]. Eden Herbs products at present are prepared with no artificial colour, flavour, or additive, which is a decided advantage over the majority of products on the market. At present Eden Herbs Purifier and Tonic /Tisane / Sarsparilla Formula (alcohol or glycerine based) are the fastest moving products. In order to increase the product line, and recognizing another opportunity to utilize local herbs, the enterprise commenced the manufacture of creams for Dr. St. Rose's dermatology practice, from August 1999.

One of Eden Herbs goals is to sensitise and educate St. Lucian and Caribbean persons in particular to the value and benefits of our local resources and to encourage conservation, cultivation, propagation and utilisation of local herbal products.

This enterprise is unique in St. Lucia and even for the Caribbean. A mix of conventional medical practice integrated with alternative/complementary herbal practice, is the new trend that is blossoming in Europe, the U.K. and even in the U.S.A.

Dr. St. Rose is working towards integrating a public education thrust with the promotion of the business. She has over the years delivered lectures and participated in overseas seminars, related to the development and promotion of indigenous herbal remedies. She spends a lot of time informing people throughout the region, largely through radio and television interviews, of the advantages of using natural products. Eden Herbs also participates in trade exhibitions.

Dr St Rose is the coordinator in the Eastern Caribbean for the Traditional Medicines of the Islands project(TRAMIL) project , which evaluates the chemical bases for the healing power of these great Caribbean herbs. She is immediate past president of the Caribbean Association of Researchers and Herbal practitioners (CARAPA), She has learnt a lot from and maintains close relations with local traditional healers.

Under her leadership, St Lucia hosted the 4tt International Conference on Herbal Medicine in the Caribbean , from 19th to 22nd July 2001.

Dr. St. Rose has not been hindered in any significant way in the establishment of her business, by gender prejudice. As a well qualified professional woman she has no real problems of access. A committed and dedicated Rotarian, she was the first female president of the Rotary Club St. Lucia south;. an organization recognized for its male dominance.

Dr St Rose was nominated one of the outstanding women entrepreneurs by the Commonwealth Businesswomen's Leaders Network in 2000,

Juggling career and family

Dr. St. Rose has throughout the period of setting up the business been a single mother, fully committed to the welfare of her family as well as to her professional responsibilities as a medical practitioner. She is always there as mother and father for her two girls, both at school and for her other 2 grownup offspring . She is further blessed with a grandson and granddaughter She was widowed unexpectedly in 1998.

Dr. St. Rose finds time to serve as a loyal and dedicated Rotarian, travelling to conferences throughout the region. Over the past few months she has made regular one day excursions to the other islands launching or promoting Eden Herbs products, preferably traveling on a Thursday to be back in time for the Friday to meet her obligations to patients and her daughters.

She has had her personal tragedies, which she has successfully overcome by seriously taking God as a partner, who no doubt has orchestrated the assistance from family, well wishers and good workers

On 19th October 2002, the Lord blessed sanctified the blessing of her union with her business partner, Anselm Benjamin of Aunt Linda's Fine Foods ltd and the marriage has pleasurably sealed the business relationship .under the HOUSE OF EDEN CORPORATION which houses and procures local herbs for both companies. Anselm is the Managing Director of all three companies and St Rose is the Chief Executive

Juggling two professions, and her role as head of her household combined with involvement in voluntary activity as a active Rotarian and leader of regional Herbal agencies, has tested her managerial capacity; her persistence, faith in God and some people, excellent time management skills, humility in accepting help and delegating tasks together with her ability to establish priorities, is seeing her through.

A consummate entrepreneur, one of Dr. St. Rose's strengths is the ability to mobilize people and her creative use of resource persons and agencies; she is an exemplary and indomitable net worker, with a keen eye for synergies and strategic alliances.

Advice to others

Dr. St. Rose urges women to have a goal and a plan, endeavor to ascertain that it is God will, be confident, nurture the physical and spiritual self, visualize themselves as successful. A good motto is to work hard, play hard and remember to pray hard. She also thinks women should accept help and be wise and vigilant in monitoring and advancing their purpose.