Born:

January 30, 1929

(Montreal, Quebec)

Died:

August 1, 1996

Education:

MD, Université de Montréal (1955)

Awards & Honours:

2004: Gold Medal for Civil Merit, Italy

1999: Parc Lucille-Teasdale in Montreal is named in her honour

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Picture of Lucille Teasdale-Corti

Established the Lacor Hospital and served Ugandans for 35 years

Lucille Teasdale-Corti

A Trailblazer for women in medicine and a devoted surgeon to the people of Uganda

After residency training at Ste-Justine Hospital in Montreal and l’Hôpital de la Conception of Marseille, Dr. Lucille Teasdale-Corti dedicated herself to a career in Uganda, together with her husband, Dr. Piero Corti. In addition to practising surgery at St-Mary’s Lacor Hospital, the couple established a school of nursing at the hospital, which went on to train hundreds of Ugandan health care professionals. In addition, Dr. Teasdale-Corti ran a program to train surgical residents at Makerere University in Kampala and also prepared Italian practitioners for service in Africa. During the period of the Ugandan civil war, she operated on wounded from both factions, often under difficult and dangerous conditions; in 1982, she contracted AIDS in the course of an operation.

Key Facts

Became one of Canada’s
first female surgeons

Grew Lacor Hospital
into a 500-bed institution

Performed 13,000 operations
at Lacor Hospital

Worked in dangerous conditions that included the threat of kidnapping

Continued to work six hours every day, even while suffering from AIDS

The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada created an named award in her honour

Professional timeline

Impact on lives today

Dr. Teasdale-Corti created a lasting legacy of compassion that continues long after her death. Today, Lacor Hospital continues to serve the people of Uganda. As of 2020, it employs 6000 Ugandans and treats over 250,000 patients. The hospital also plays an important role in the training of new doctors as well as offers crucial public health support during epidemics.

Picture of Lucille Teasdale-Corti

2013

  • school

    Lucille-Teasdale International School in Brossard, Quebec is renamed in her honour

  • school

    Lucille-Teasdale Secondary School in Blainville, Quebec is built and named in her honour

  • Lucille Teasdale-Corti posthumously inducted into the Canadian Medical Hall of Fame

    Winnipeg, Manitoba

  • stamp

    Canada Post issues a 46 cent stamp in Lucille Teasdale’s honour

  • Dr. Lucille Teasdale-Corti and Dr. Piero Corti

    The Lucille Teasdale and Piero Corti Foundation was established

    Service Abroad

    The foundation was created to ensure the continued work of Lacor Hospital.

  • Lacor Hospital is awarded the Premio Antonio Feltrinelli in recognition of their extraordinary moral and humanitarian merit, awarded by Accademia dei Lincei Rome.

  • Photo

    A partnership with Makerere University in Kampala was established

    Health and Medical Education & Training

    For ten years, Teasdale-Corti collaborated with the University to train surgical residents.

  • Lacor Hospital continued to expand with the opening of a second surgical wing

    Leadership in Organizational Development, Patient Care

    The hospital also held a library, pathology laboratory, archives and space of physiotherapy. By the 1990s, the hospital had 400 Ugandan employees and 450 beds.

  • The School for Registered Nurses opened

    Leadership in Organizational Development

    Shortly after, three satellite heath centres were established.

  • Lucille Teasdale-Corti became a war surgeon in Uganda

    Women in Medicine, Patient Care

    When civil war broke out in Uganda, Lacor hospital was often caught in the cross-fire of violence. Throughout the war, the hospital became an important centre for healing.

  • Lacor Hospital's surgical ward was completed

    Committed to providing the best care possible, Teasdale and Corti worked tirelessly to expand the services available at the hospital.

  • Lacor Hospital screenshot

    Lacor Hospital was built by Comboni missionaries

    Leadership in Organizational Development, Service Abroad

    Teasdale-Corti and her husband arrived in Uganda in May of 1961 and took over management of the 40-bed hospital.

  • After graduating medical school, Teasdale-Corti specialized in surgery and interned at Sainte-Justine Children’s Hospital in Montreal

    While there, she met Piero Corti who would become her lifelong partner in medicine and life.

1955

Medicine is not just a profession, it is a vocation.