About/History
This award recognizes the merits of a professional who demonstrates outstanding commitment in providing quality French-language health or social services on a daily basis.
This award was created in honour of Margaret Teresa McDonell, an early pioneer who, upon her arrival in St. Boniface in 1855, provided care to the francophone and Métis families in the fledgling Red River mission, which was the beginnings of the St. Boniface Hospital.
History
The Margaret-Teresa Award was created to recognize the merits of a professional who demonstrates outstanding commitment in providing high quality health or social services in French on a daily basis.
Margaret Teresa McDonell was born in 1835 in St. Andrew, Ontario. At sixteen, she entered the Sisters of Charity of Ottawa as Sister Ste. Therese.
In the early 1850s, the Grey Nuns of Manitoba needed reinforcements and appealed to the Sisters of Charity of Ottawa. Sister Ste. Therese volunteered and travelled West in search of great challenges.
She dedicated all of her human qualities and medical skills to providing health care for Manitobans. “The Métis loved her for her patience, gentleness and kindness. Her qualities earned her the nickname Sister Doctor ”. She stayed in Saint-Boniface, and was involved in many of the initial works of charity in this province, until her death on November 4, 1917.
