The Mother Teresa of Belize: The Nurse Dorothy Bradley Story
December 3, 2009 | 1200 - 1:00 pm | Science Building 010
Presented by Professor Renae Boss Potts
This presentation will describe the concept of oral history and the story of Nurse Dorothy Bradley. Together, she & I are writing her oral history. The purpose of an oral history is to “interview individuals in order to capture and preserve their spoken perspectives, judgments, and recollections" (Lofgren, 2006). In the classic source, Oral History for the Local Historical Society, Baum writes "Oral history can serve as a link from the immediate present to the immediate past in an understandable and very human way that can give the young and the newcomers a way of sinking their roots into the community" (Baum, 1977). This is a valuable pursuit because her story will inspire nurses; teach us true caring, humility, dedication and creativity with miniscule resources.
Miss Dorothy is an 82 year old rural health nurse in the developing country of Belize. Her oral history is rich with inspiring stories of incredible faith, caring nursing practice, political activism and savvy business endeavors. She has delivered generations of babies in challenging circumstances. She choose to remain in her health clinic despite soldiers warnings to evacuate because she felt called to aide the wounded if war truly came. She served the destitute refugees in the Valley of Peace refugee camp. She petitioned the government after a hurricane for food, blankets and supplies for her countrymen. She was nominated to become a Justice of the Peace because of the respect and trust the community has in her. She works with local villagers to establish a cashew grower’s co-op. She is politically very active and is a well-known voice on the national talk radio. Belizeans lovingly refer to her as the Mother Teresa of Belize because of her humble Christian service and her unending commitment to the people of Belize.
