Gabrielle Walcott (TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO 2011)

Candid pics at a party! (August 2008)
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Photo credit: Triniscene

Candid photo with a fan! This looks like an older photo though.
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Untouched photos!
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Gabby with a member of the T&T Olympic team.

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Gabby with another patron at the celebration.
Photo Credit: Triniscene

Please visit the Laura Ferreira gallery at [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] to see more of Gabby in her latest photo shoot (as of Sept. 19th 2008)

Please note that the photographer has requested that photos from her portfolio not be posted to other websites without her permission. I am not posting any pics out of respect to the photographer as I am unsure if Gabby's photos are included in this request. Thank you for your understanding and for respecting Ms. Ferreira's request.

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Source: Trinidad Express

Photos courtesy Peter Elias and Associates (26th Sept. 2008)
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Kids with Cancer
By CAROL MATROO Monday
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[size=85]BRAVE FACES: Miss TT/World Gabrielle Walcott (back row left) and NCRHA CEO Cynthia Carrington-Murray (back row third from left) with some brave young cancer patients at the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex yesterday.[/size]

THEIR bodies are small and frail as they battle against a silent killer, but hope still shines in their eyes, their lips are always ready to smile, even as they struggle to overcome cancer.

Now, a new paediatrics specialist ward, to be opened on October 31 at the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex, Mt Hope, will hopefully bring some relief to children battling the disease, and provide treatment needed to destroy or control the illness.

The new ward is an initiative of the North Central Regional Health Authority and Trinidad and Tobago’s representative for the Miss World competition, Gabrielle Walcott, has adopted the ward for which she will now be a patron.

This announcement was made while the NCRHA treated several children suffering with cancer at the rooftop restaurant at the complex, yesterday. The children feasted on KFC and were presented with party bags, balloon poodles and teddy bears.

Eleven-year-old Kimberly Singh has to be supported because her cancer, medulablastoma, has thrown off her balance. The child’s mother, Rebecca, said Kimberly was diagnosed with cancer last year after complaining of headaches. “When we carried her to the doctor, he started treating her for migraine, but she continued getting the headaches and she was vomiting, so they decided to do an MRI. That is when they saw the tumour at the base of her brain,” she said.

She said Kimberly was unable to go to school because of her condition. “Some days she is better than other days, but, God is in charge and we are beginning to see some progress. We are hoping for the best,” she said.

Chief executive officer of the NCRHA, Cynthia Carrington-Murray, said dealing with cancer was very traumatic for the youngsters.

“It is not easy for them to deal with the pain, or for them to lose their hair. It is a painful thing to see. Cancer awareness is now helping to bring cancer to the forefront, making people more aware,” she said.

Leukaemia, brain tumours and lymphoma are the three major cancers that lead to deaths among children between zero and 14 years. Walcott said her decision to take a special interest in the new cancer ward stemmed from having to watch her mother suffer through her aunt’s death.

She said private groups and organisations were coming on board to lend their support in treating with cancer, and praised her sponsor, Digicel, for donating $200,000 to get the ward started.

Gabrielle Walcott... Living in the moment

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BY TEISHAN DIXON

She’s a hazel-eyed beauty whose face has graced the glossy pages of several Caribbean magazines and local billboards.

But don’t expect a diva attitude from reigning Miss T&T World delegate, Gabrielle Walcott. Behind the glamour is a warm, friendly, intelligent young woman who is so much more than just another beauty queen.

The early years

“I was born and raised right here in Petit Valley,” said Walcott, of her childhood years. “I come from a large family and a very large extended family.”

According to her, her fondest memories are of attending many large family gatherings, playing cricket on the beach, and going crab hunting with her cousins.

“I have so many cousins, and a lot of them are around my age, so we all grew up together and shared the same experiences,” she said.

During her days at Providence Girls’, Walcott, who later went on to major in visual arts and minor in theatre arts at the University of the West Indies, recalls art being the subject she always showed the most interest in.

“My days at Providence seem so long ago,” she said laughing. “Sometimes I really long for those days again. When you’re in it, you ask yourself, ‘How can people say that these are the best days of your life?’ and then you’re out of it, you think, ‘how easy I had it back then’.

“My favourite subject was always art, and I remember and miss all my teachers. I made life-long friends at Providence. Those are memories I wouldn’t trade for the world.”

Robin Thicke’s video

Apart from her modelling and pageant escapades, Walcott has several other interests including dance, pilates, photography and hockey. Chief, however, is her love for theatre and acting.

She even expressed a desire to pursue an international acting career.

“I actually studied theatre arts at HB Studios in New York,” she said. “I would love to act full-time. I once did a play while I was in New York, and it was a great feeling being able to inhabit a character and become that character.”

When asked whether she thought winning the Miss T&T World title gave her an advantage in becoming popular in the acting industry, Walcott said that she saw ways in which the two opportunities could boost each other.

“The experience of being Miss Trinidad and Tobago is both similar and different to being an actress. Being Miss T&T World forced me to be the best Gabrielle Walcott I can be.

“And it’s me in the spotlight for the world to see, not me being someone else,” she said. “Miss World can sharpen my acting abilities in that it helps me to be more poised and more confident within myself, on and off the stage.”

In 2005, Walcott had the opportunity to showcase some of her acting talents internationally when she played the lead role in international R&B star, Robin Thicke’s video, Wanna Love U Girl.

“The whole thing was very exciting. I’ve done other videos, but that was my first lead role,” she said. “It was a bit challenging, seeing that I had to appear to love someone who in actual reality is a stranger to me, so my training in acting came in handy there.

The video took a week to be completed and was shot in the Dominican Republic. It wasn’t all glamour; it took a lot of work and a lot of discomfort. I have a lot of respect for everyone who played a part in it.”

Dark days

Walcott’s life has not been all rainbows and butterflies. She, too, like everyone else, has faced her share of perils, including losing her maternal aunt to breast cancer while still in her teens.

“When my aunt found out she had cancer, she left for Canada right away to get treatment,” said Walcott. “Because of that, I was unable to see her for many years. When she left, she looked healthy. But when she returned, she looked so frail. The cancer had really taken its toll.”

Reality about her aunt’s dire situation hit home for Walcott one sombre afternoon.

“My mom, sister and I were out driving, and I saw my mom break down in tears. Seeing her pain, seeing the family’s pain, left so much of an impact.”

This misfortune was what inspired Walcott to later become heavily involved with the Just Because Foundation, a non-profit organisation aimed at providing practical and emotional support for parents and siblings of young cancer patients.

“When the opportunity arose to join, I jumped at it, because I know from experience that when someone has cancer, it affects all their loved ones.”

Walcott’s misfortunes, however, did not end with the death of her aunt. Crime also hit home when she and her sister Heidi were robbed at gun-point at their home a little over a year ago.

“The first thing I did was start to pray,” she recalled. “My sister told me that I actually said the entire rosary out loud. I remember at one point during the robbery, they tried to separate us, but I grabbed Heidi and told them, “No, you are not going to separate us at any point and time. We’re staying together.”

Walcott also expressed grief over the current crime situation plaguing the country.

“I think it’s sad that a nation that has so much to offer has deteriorated to this state. I believe crime is a thing that starts in your neighbourhood and your community, and that is where the problem must be initially addressed.

“I do hope that as a nation, we can get back to the point where we feel safe in our homes and our communities.”

Pageant dreams

Walcott admitted that entering and winning a beauty pageant was one of her life-long dreams.

“I’m not going to kid around and say that I never wanted to be a beauty queen. It was always a dream of mine,” she said. “I remember meeting Wendy Fitzwilliam at Crews Inn once, and I was totally in awe of her, and I had a feeling about her that she would win, and I told my dad about it.

“The night she won the Miss Universe title, I was watching at home with my family, and when I saw her win, I knew that was something I wanted to do. I wanted to be Miss T&T.”

Asked whether she felt pressure in taking the baton from last year’s Miss T&T-World Valene Maharaj, Walcott admitted to feeling some pressure, but said she viewed Maharaj as an inspiration.

“Are you kidding? Of course I feel pressure,” she said, laughing. “It’s funny you should ask me that, because I am now in possession of the same pair of heels she wore on the night of the pageant, and I’m using them to practice. I feel like I have Cinderella’s slippers, and I have to fill those shoes in a literal and figurative sense.

“I’ve been told by several persons who worked with her during her preparation for the pageant that she is such a sweet person. They never had one bad thing to say about her, and that in itself is a goal to reach.”

Walcott described being Miss T&T World as a challenging but enjoyable learning experience.

“It’s been very telling. You really have no idea what it takes until you’re in it,” she said. “As a pageant representative, you don’t just learn how to walk the right way and to do your hair and make-up. You’re taught how to be the best you can be, and how to really connect with people and touch their lives.

“Peter Elias is always telling me: ‘Live this moment, and let it enrich your life,’ and that is the greatest lesson I’ve learnt thus far.”

Walcott leaves to compete at the Miss World pageant on November 14.

Gabby doing a modeling gig in Oct. 2008.
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Gabrielle raises $600,000 for paediatric specialty ward
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Gabrielle Walcott was born in Trinidad and Tobago on June 26th, 1984 (age 24). Hailing from Petit Valley, she is the eldest of three siblings, who are Heidi, Joshua and Sophie Walcott.

The 1.70 m beauty also pursued acting and theater arts at HB Studios in New York, USA.

An experienced Equestrian Show Jumper, Gabrielle also took up hobbies such as, dance, yoga, pilates, photography, hockey, art, and has always had a passion for acting and theater.

She is a long-time member and support of the Trinidad and Tobago Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, (the TTSPCA), and claims to have rescued 10 stray dogs and cats.

Gabrielle is preparing hard to achieve the second victory if Trinidad and Tobago at the 2008 Miss World contest. The country won the title in 1986, with Giselle LaRonde.

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Describe yourself in one or two sentences:

I'm an island girl,warm, friendly and loving. I love to laugh, dance and meet new people.

Which three songs must be in your iPod?

-Andrea Bocelli's, "Because We Believe"

-Bob Marley's "Don't worry about

a thing"

-Bob Sinclar's "World Hold On"

Tell us about your "Beauty with

a Purpose" Project.

This has been a life changing experience for me. I've raised TT$600 000 (Trinidad and Tobago dollars/ US$100,000) for the first ever Paediatric Specialty Ward in the English Speaking Caribbean.

Because of Miss World's Beauty with a Purpose project, I searched for a very meaningful project and discovered a brand new non-profit organisation in my neighborhood called the Just Because Foundation.

I met the founders, two wonderful and inspiring parents who recently lost their son to a rare form of cancer. The JB Foundation in a very short space of time has done tremendous work to assist families with an ill one.

In my interactions, I learned that there were no dedicated wards for children with cancer in my country, and that presently, all children pediatric patients lived together in crowded rooms. Further more, the families and siblings of these young brave cancer patients were not able to visit regularly due to restrictions.

Working closely with them I was able to learn of an abandoned ward at one of our largest and most important hospitals and then convince the authorities who did not have budgets for such a specialised ward that I would raise the needed funds once permission was granted (this is a very abbreviated version of what transpired, in Trinidad we say 'it's all part of the course'..

Basic renovations have begun to the ward and we are awaiting final designs to implement and complete the project. I have never felt such a sense of purpose, and this has afforded me the 'true' understanding of Beauty with a Purpose.

I feel honoured to be a small part of an organisation and process whose objective is such.

What has been your most

memorable rainy day?

I can't help but think about this one particular rainy day when my family went hiking to a spectacular waterfall in our sister island of Tobago. On the way up, my Dad lost a part of his camera (photography is his favorite hobby) and was so disappointed.

After a wonderful day, on our hike back, he asked everyone to look out for the part (about the size of an M&M). This was literally looking for a needle in a haystack.

Being a Daddy's girl and wanting to please him as he was a little down, I prayed to St Anthony for help. I will never forget the look on my Dad's face when I came running with the camera part in my hand! He was so proud of me and much to my delight still tells that story to this day.

If you were invited to participate in the next NY Fashion Week, which fashion designer you would like to dress you?

Roberto Cavalli.His style is feminine, sexy and so luxurious!

Tell us about the nightlife in

your hometown.

In Trinidad we 'lime' it's a very popular word here used for getting together and hanging out with friends. We are a fun-loving people and so we like to lime anytime, anywhere.

There are lots of lounges, nightclubs, even street parties. I personally love night time beach outings or being 'down the islands' (there are these gorgeous little islands off of Trinidad which we refer to as 'down the islands')

I love being near the water and sand, being under the stars with a crackling bon fire, liming with close friends and family.

What has been your weirdest dream? Describe it.

I don't dream much, but recently had my wisdom teeth removed. I was really anxious because I've never had any surgery before, and this was to be performed while under anaesthetics.

The night before the surgery I dreamt that the surgery was going on, that the anaesthetics were being administered, that I got up out of my body and looked on at myself lying there and held my arm in an act of assurance and said "okay then, I'll be back, see you soon" and off I went.

Then, I heard people looking for me and yelling "She has to come back, where is she? "so I went back to the dentist's office and saw my family standing over me crying and said "wow, I better get back quickly"! I lay back down into my body and then I woke up and all was good. Very Weird!

Thankfully the surgery went well, though I looked like a chipmunk for about a week.

Where will the Miss World judges score you highest: interview, swimsuit or gown presentation?

I hope to score well in all categories. A little bias of course, but my Mom believes that the judges will score me highest in the interview, once of course my warmth shines.

What message you would like to send to the other Miss World contestants?

I can't wait to meet you all...to learn of our similarities and differences. I wish for us to be an amazing bunch of women, representing our countries to the best of our abilities, following our dreams! See you soon in South Africa!

Special thanks to Peter Elias.

Photography by Gerald Hart.

Laura Ferriera, a Trini photographer, scores the front cover of Photo Digital Magazine with a photo of Gabby!

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