Did you know that November 23rd is Mary Seacole Day?
On this day every year, Mary Seacole’s life and work are celebrated in Jamaica.
But who is Mary Seacole, and why does her story resonate with mdgroup?
Mary Seacole was born on 23rd November 1805, the daughter of a Creole healer from Jamaica, who used herbs before complementary medicine was made mainstream; and a Scottish father, who served as an officer in the British Army.
Mary showed a caring nature as a young child, at that time practicing her knowledge and compassion on her doll and family pets! She learned much from her mother about traditional Jamaican medicines, and honed her skills over the years.
Having supported troops in conflict areas previously, Mary was determined to help during the brutal Crimean War once she learned of the poor care and facilities for injured soldiers. She applied to the British War Office and was refused, in her opinion, for reasons of racial prejudice. Rejection was never going to deter Mary though, and she self-funded her trip to Crimea and set up the British Hotel, a treatment and respite centre that was desperately needed.
Mary was not a typical nurse. In fact, she didn’t even call herself a nurse, but what she provided was a personalised approach to patient care that combined remarkable skill and knowledge with much- needed compassion. That is why we named our sister company, Seacole Health, after her. Because for us, caring for patients isn’t about simply administering treatment; it’s about knowing an individual and what they need that will enable them to achieve a successful clinical trial outcome. It might be transport support, or refreshments when they are needed. Sometimes it’s about making sure their families can be with them during treatment, because that is exactly what they need to be able to rest easy during the trial phases.
Our Seacole nurses epitomise Mary Seacole’s vision for nursing and our commitment to those values. We hand pick our healthcare professionals because they embody the values that Mary lived her life by.
At the time that Mary was active, she was not taken seriously; she had to fight to achieve all that she achieved, and it is only now that we recognise what a true heroine she was. The Royal Mint in the UK, which produces commemorative coins to remember historically significant people, recently launched a coin in honour of Mary Seacole, and there is a statue outside St Thomas’s Hospital in London.
At mdgroup we celebrate Mary Seacole, not just on the 23rd November, but everyday, in recognition of her passion and commitment to the art of caring.
www.seacolehealth.com
