Rihanna Donates $1.75 Million To Barbados Hospital In Honor Of Late Grandmother
Rihanna has donated $1.75 million to a hospital in her native Barbados in memory of her late grandmother, Clara “Dolly” Braithwaite.
Braithwaite, or “Gran Gran Dolly,” passed away in July after a battle with cancer. The singer broke the news on Twitter, writing, “Goodbye #grangranDOLLY get your beauty rest until I see you,” and posting several pictures of her grandmother.
The 24-year-old got a tattoo of the goddess Isis on her ribcage three month’s after Braithwaite’s passing, and posted a picture on Instagram with the caption, “Goddess Isis- Complete Woman – Model for future generations- #GRANGRANDOLLY – always in and on my heart #1lo.”
The “Diamonds” singer visited Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Bridgetown Saturday with her mother, Monica Fenty, and Braithwaite’s husband, Lionel, Saturday. The donation helped pay for vital pieces of equipment for the hospital, which will rename its radiotherapy department the Clara Braithwaite Centre for Oncology and Nuclear Medicine.
Rihanna — whose real name is Robyn Rihanna Fenty — told E! News in a statement:
“This was my way of giving back to Barbados, in a form of philanthropy, by assisting the QEH in its continued modernization program…I believe that this will have a huge impact on the people of Barbados. This was all done to save lives or at least extend them.”
Rihanna’s brother, Rorrey Fenty, tweeted his sister “bless you” with a link to an article about the donation in Starbroek News, an independent Guyanese newspaper. She responded, “thanks broski #granDolly.”
“@rorreyfenty: @rihanna bless youstabroeknews.com/2012/news/brea…” thanks broski #granDolly
— Rihanna (@rihanna) December 23, 2012
In August, Rihanna sat down for an interview with Oprah to share the greatest lessons she learned from her grandmother. The singer said, “She taught me a lot about forgiveness. She taught me a lot about loving my enemies.”
Part of those lessons about forgiveness extended to ex-boyfriend Chris Brown, whom Rihanna said she was angry with for a long time but had since forgiven. She said she had lost her best friend and first love and had to deal with that, but that it wasn’t easy with the world watching.
