GRENADA NOMINATION FOR 2009 INTERNATIONAL WOMEN OF COURAGE

UNCLAS BRIDGETOWN 000643 SIPDIS DEPT FOR G/IWI AND WHA/CAR FROM AMBASSADOR OURISMAN E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KWMN PREL KPAO PHUM XL SUBJECT: GRENADA NOMINATION FOR 2009 INTERNATIONAL WOMEN OF COURAGE AWARD REF: STATE 99729 -------------- SUMMARY -------------- ¶1. (U) I am pleased to nominate Dr. Beverly Theresa Nelson-La Qua, of Grenada, for the Secretary's Award for International Women of Courage for 2009 (biodata at end of cable). Dr. Nelson is unique in Grenada for recognizing an unfilled need and then volunteering her time to find a solution. She has singlehandedly improved health care in Grenada for needy families, inspired local non-governmental organizations to become more involved, and pushed the government to improve medical facilities overall. Her work with a U.S. children's health organization is in addition to her regular pediatric practice. There has been little local recognition of the importance of Dr. Nelson's efforts to improve health care for needy women and children in Grenada. End summary. ¶2. (U) Dr. Nelson trained in the United States but shortly after completing her residency at Brooklyn Caledonian Hospital in New York, she returned to her native Grenada to work. She is one of only two pediatricians in the country. Dr. Nelson is an attending physician at Grenada's General Hospital and has undertaken to build up the pediatric ward, including obtaining equipment for premature babies. ¶3. (U) In 1989, Dr. Nelson enlisted the help of Children's Health Organization Relief and Educational Services (CHORES),based in Jacksonville, Florida to address the pressing problem of pediatric care for needy families, especially for cardiac patients and premature births. In addition to cardiac care, the group has expanded to include orthopedics, ophthalmology, plastic surgery, speech therapy/audiology, physiotherapy, occupational therapy. Grenadians have been trained to produce and maintain prosthetic limbs. Dr. Nelson has engaged the Grenadian community to create a support group for the visiting doctors who donate their time for a week two times a year. ¶4. (U) Once invited to come to Grenada, CHORES' volunteer doctors have been coming to Grenada for 19 years. Of the 5844 patients Dr. Nelson has arranged for them to see in that timeframe, over 60 percent are female. In the process of reaching out to poor families with children in desperate need of care not available any other way, Dr. Nelson has pulled a large number of needy women, mothers of the pediatric patients, into Grenada's health care system. Women, who never otherwise would have never seen a doctor, have been introduced to health care. Her "whole family" approach has meant that these women, who would not otherwise have received medical attention themselves or learned how to care for their children, are now doing both. ¶5. (U) BIODATA Full legal name: Dr. Beverly Theresa Nelson-La Qua Job Title/Association: Pediatrician, Grenada General Hospital and private practice Date of birth: August 2, 1959 Country of birth: Grenada Citizenship: U.S. Address, telephone, e-mail: St. John's Street, St. George, Grenada, W.I. 473-440-3916, beverley@spiceisle.com Passport number: 710503304 Dr. Nelson has been contacted about this nomination and is willing to be recognized. OURISMAN