Heroes of the Past Archives

May 23, 2016

Heroes of the Past: John Snow (1800s)

Heroes of the Past: John Snow (1800s) John Snow was an English Doctor known for his role in developing anaesthesia and medical hygiene. He was the founding Father of epidemiology. Epidemiology is the study of disease outbreaks, with a focus on prevention. We present him here as an inspirational EVERYDAY HERO, because of the odds he overcame, bringing preventative healthcare to the general public. John Snow was born in York, England in 1813. They lived in one of the poorest neighbourhoods in the city. John was a highly intelligent child. His mother invested her […]

May 29, 2016

Heroes of the Past: Mary Seacole

Heroes of the Past: Mary Seacole Mary Seacole (1854-1856) is an exceptional woman of the Victorian Era who was known as ‘Mother Seacole’ to the British soldiers of the Crimean war for her compassion and dedication to their care. A woman of intelligence, fine business sense, and grit, she opened up a boarding house in Crimea from which she funded her private nursing efforts. We remember her today for her hard-won achievements and immense kindness. Mary Seacole, originally Mary Jane Grant, was born in Kingston, Jamaica as the daughter of […]

June 6, 2016

Heroes of the Past : Florence Nightingale

Heroes of the Past: Florence Nightingale “I attribute my success to this – I never gave or took any excuse” So said Florence Nightingale, social reformer and the founder of modern nursing. Born in 1820, into a wealthy British family in Florence, Italy, and named after the city where she was born, Florence experienced her first “call from God” in Embley Park in 1937. After a series of similar experiences, Florence felt that it was her calling to dedicate her life to the service of others. She started working as […]

June 13, 2016

Heroes of the Past: Karl Landsteiner

Today’s Hero of the Past is Karl Landsteiner (1868-1943), father of transfusion medicine. We make this post in tribute to World Blood Donor’s Day, and urge you to read our informative post on it from last week and to go out and donate :). Every drop counts! Karl Landsteiner was born in Vienna, Austria, in 1868. His father, a renowned Viennese journalist and editor-in-chief of Die Presse, died when he was six, leaving his mother to care for him alone. The mother and child were close and kept a close […]