March 5, 1998
(COOPERATION Agreement)

Fifty years of compassion to be revived in restoration

The life and times of Nurse Myra Bennett will be captured through the restoration of her residence in Daniel's Harbour. The restoration will provide recognition of Nurse Bennett's contribution to the people of this province and will preserve her legacy as an important tourism attraction on the Northern Peninsula. A contribution of $291,826 is being made from the Canada - Newfoundland Strategic Regional Diversification Agreement.

Today's announcement was made by Gerry Byrne, MP for Humber-St. Barbe-Baie Verte on behalf of Fred Mifflin, Minister of Veterans Affairs and Secretary of State for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, and by Chuck Furey, MHA - St.Barbe, on behalf of Beaton Tulk, Minister of Development and Rural Renewal.

This development involves the restoration of the residence which Bennett's husband built after their marriage in 1922. It is this home, which also served as a surgery and medical clinic for half a century, that is being restored by the Nurse Myra Bennett Foundation Inc.

"The restored residence will be a significant tourism attraction along the Viking Trail," said Mr. Byrne. "The site will complement other trail attractions such as the Grenfell properties, and will contribute to growth and development in the area with new opportunities for small businesses. This restoration is a fitting tribute that recognizes the contributions of a remarkable and unselfish individual."

Throughout this province, Nurse Myra Bennett was known as the Florence Nightingale of the North. For more than 50 years Bennett was the only medical aid along 200 kilometres of rugged Northern Peninsula coastline, and as such delivered over 3,000 babies and extracted at least 5,000 teeth. She arrived in Daniel's Harbour in the spring of 1921 and began ministering to everything from difficult childbirths to tuberculosis. By the time Bennett retired at age 68, she had trained five midwives and raised her three children as well as four other foster children.

"Nurse Bennett leaves a legacy of compassion and dedication that honours Newfoundland nursing" said Mr. Furey. "The restoration of her residence is a good example of community participation in cultural and economic development. The completed building will provide a glimpse into Newfoundland's medical history while creating an attraction for tourists and students. The creation of a series of historic sites along the Northern Peninsula can only improve the quality of tourist's experiences which will ultimately translate into increased business opportunities for the area."

Perhaps the greatest story told of Nurse Bennett would be of the time that her brother-in-law almost completely severed his foot with a saw at a nearby lumber mill during the month of February. Using snow as an anaesthetic, Bennett cleaned his foot of splinters and bone and stitched the severed foot back on to the leg as best as she could. Then both Bennett and her husband made a three-day journey totalling 100 kilometres to Woody Point to deliver the patient to the doctor. The doctor was amazed by Bennett's handiwork and decided that amputation would not be necessary. The patient walked again after a lengthy recovery.

The Strategic Regional Diversification Agreement is a 70:30 cost-shared agreement between the federal and provincial governments. The agreement is administered federally by the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency and provincially by the Department of Development and Rural Renewal.

Contact:

Paul Murphy, Cooperation Communications (709) 772-0219
Clifford Grinling, Department of Development and Rural Renewal (709) 729-7066