Helen Mussallem
Helen Mussallem | |
|---|---|
| Born | Helen Kathleen Mussallem 7 January 1915 Prince Rupert, British Columbia, Canada |
| Died | 9 November 2012 (aged 97) |
| Occupation | Nurse |
Helen Kathleen Mussallem CC, FRCN, DGStJ (7 January 1915 – 9 November 2012) was a Canadian nurse, who served in the Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps during World War II.
Life[edit]
Born in Prince Rupert, British Columbia to Solomon and Annie (née Besytt) Mussallem, both of Lebanese descent, Mussallem studied at the School of Nursing, Vancouver General Hospital from 1934 to 1937.[1][2] Between 1943 and 1946, she served as a surgical nurse and lieutenant in the Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps during World War II. In 1947, she attended McGill University, where she received her bachelor's degree in Nursing. She received her Master's of Arts in education from Columbia University Teachers College and was the first Canadian nurse to earn a doctoral degree from Columbia University. From 1963 to 1981, she was executive director of the Canadian Nurses Association. From 1989 to 1991 she was the President of the Victorian Order of Nurses.[3]
Death[edit]
Mussallem died in Ottawa at the age of 97 on 9 November 2012.[4][5]
Honours[edit]
- She was the first nurse outside the United Kingdom to be honoured as a Fellow of the Royal College of Nursing.
- She received the highest award that can be awarded by the International Red Cross, the Florence Nightingale Medal.
- In 1982, she was appointed Dame of Grace of the Venerable Order of Saint John.
- In 1969, she was made an Officer of the Order of Canada and was promoted to Companion in 1992.
- In 2006, she was appointed Capilano Herald Extraordinary within the Canadian Heraldic Authority. [citation needed]
- She received honorary degrees from Memorial University, the University of New Brunswick, Queen's University, McMaster University, and the University of British Columbia.
References[edit]
- ^ "Dr. Helen K. Mussallem dies". UBC Nursing News. University of British Columbia. 13 November 2012. Retrieved 15 November 2012.
- ^ "Dr. Helen Kathleen Mussallem dies". Legacy.com. 13–14 November 2012. Retrieved 15 November 2012.
- ^ "Helen Kathleen Mussallem". The Canadian Encyclopedia. Retrieved 1 September 2019.
- ^ "Obituary for Dr.Helen Kathleen Mussallem". Hulse, Playfair and McGarry. November 2012. Retrieved 12 November 2012.
- ^ "Canada's nursing profession celebrates the life of one of its most ecorated nurses". Canadian Nurses Association. November 2012. Archived from the original on 18 July 2013. Retrieved 16 November 2012.
External links[edit]
- Congratulations to Dr. Helen Mussallem!, VON website; retrieved 26 March 2014.
- Mussallem Family history page, Maple Ridge Museum website; retrieved 26 March 2014.
- The Dr. Helen K. Mussallem Biography Project
- Appointment as Dame of Grace of the Venerable Order of Saint John, london-gazette.co.uk, 22 April 1982; retrieved 26 March 2014.
- 1915 births
- 2012 deaths
- Canadian Heraldic Authority
- Canadian military nurses
- Canadian officers of arms
- Teachers College, Columbia University alumni
- Companions of the Order of Canada
- Dames of Grace of the Order of St John
- McGill University alumni
- People from Prince Rupert, British Columbia
- Honorary Fellows of the Royal College of Nursing
- Canadian people of Lebanese descent
- World War II nurses
- Female wartime nurses
- Florence Nightingale Medal recipients
- Canadian women nurses