Friday, 7 September 2012
A memorial service has been held for Betsi Cadwaladr, the Health Board’s namesake.
The service was held at Abney Park cemetery, London where Betsi is buried.
The service was held jointly with the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) in Wales who have adopted Betsi as a nurse heroine for her work. A memorial stone, made possible by fund raising by the Health Board, and a bench from funds raised by the RCN in Wales were dedicated to her memory as part of the Service.
Betsi, from Bala, was a Crimean War nurse who worked with Florence Nightingale and was later buried a pauper. She was born Elizabeth Cadwaladr in 1789 as one of 16 children. The daughter of a Methodist preacher she moved to Liverpool age 14 and then travelled around the world. It is thought she changed her surname to Davis as Cadwaladr could not be easily pronounced by English people, and her father's name was Dafydd.
Learning of the conditions suffered by the British soldiers wounded in the Crimean War (1853-1856), Betsi joined the military nursing service. Her first post was in Scutari, working at a hospital run by Florence Nightingale. After working there for many weeks Betsi ran out of patience with the bureaucracy and red tape and made her way nearer to the frontline at Balaclava, falling out with Nightingale in the process.
Working in Balaclava, Betsi made progress against the unhygienic conditions and red tape that hampered her and impressed Nightingale.
In 1855, one year before the war ended, Betsi eventually returned home suffering from cholera and dysentery. She died five years later in 1860 in London.
Working in Balaclava, Betsi made progress against the unhygienic conditions and red tape that hampered her and impressed Nightingale.
In 1855, one year before the war ended, Betsi eventually returned home suffering from cholera and dysentery. She died five years later in 1860 in London.
Jill Galvani, Director of Nursing, Midwifery & Patient Services said “The dedication of the headstone was a special and moving occasion. We are grateful for the support of our charitable funds committee to ensure that Betsi’s life and achievement is recorded. Nurses in the Health Board have been very interested in Betsi’s legacy – she spoke out for her patients with passion and compassion. She is a role model for all of us in modern health care”.
Photographed are the Rev. Kathy Collins with Jill Galvani, Director of Nursing, Midwifery & Patient Services (2nd from left), Prof. Jean White, Chief Nursing Officer (3rd from left) and nursing representatives from the Health Board and RCN.