This award recognizes one who has made significant leadership contributions to bridging cultural gaps in healthcare services and has set an example for other leaders to emulate.
The 2018 INMED Cross-Cultural Healthcare Leadership Award recipient is Mary Smith. In 1988 Mary, a master’s degree trained registered nurse, traveled with her Methodist church to Haiti. Motivated through this event, Mary herself lead multiple teams back to Haiti over the coming years. In 1999, while teaching nursing at Johnson Country Community College, she began taking nursing students to Mexico where they provided care to those living in a squatter’s community. That annual college trip continues even today. In 2009, Mary Smith made an exploration trip to Uganda. Thus, began annual visits to that nation as well, where for Ugandan nursing students and faculty she continues teaching Helping Babies Breathe – a skill set she acquired through INMED in 2010. Mary advises, “First just go to walk along side. As you do so, observe, learn, trust, respect, and let them teach you, too.”