Sister Elizabeth KennyPrint Page 
The Memorial Baptistry and stained glass window commemorate Sister Elizabeth Kenny (1880 - 1952). It is sponsored by the Kenny Foundation of the United States of America.
Elizabeth Kenny was born in Warialda in 1880 and overcame the lack of formal training to become a nursing sister and worked on troopships during World War One. In peacetime, she took an interest in the treatment of polio having opened her own hospital in 1913. When an epidemic occurred in Queensland in 1932, she set up her own clinic, introducing a technique of stimulating rather than immobilizing paralysed muscles. Medical establishment opposed her and in 1938 a Royal Commission condemned her techniques.
With the support of the Queensland Government, she introduced her techniques to the United States of America. Success followed there and “Kenny Clinics” were set up throughout the country.
Rev. J. L. Sullivan, Vicar of Warialda, says that in a new Church to be erected there the font in which Sister Kenny was baptised would be placed in a special baptistry which would form a memorial to her. It is expected that Bishop Moyes, when visiting U.S.A. shortly, will make appeals to the American people for contributions to the Sister Kenny Memorial.
Uralla Times (NSW), 13 May 1954.
Location
| Address: | 40 Stewart Avenue, St Simon & St Jude Anglican Church, Warialda, 2402 |
|---|---|
| State: | NSW |
| Area: | AUS |
| GPS Coordinates: | Lat: -29.544069 Long: 150.576321 Note: GPS Coordinates are approximate. |
Details
| Monument Type: | Religious Object |
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| Monument Theme: | People |
| Sub-Theme: | Medicine |
Dedication
The Sister Kenny
Memorial Baptistry
This Baptistry is a tribute to the life and work of Elizabeth Kenny who was born at Warialda on September 20th 1880 and who was baptised at this font on October 14th 1880.
As a result of her work among the victims of Poliomyelitis
" Her name liveth forevermore"
The gift of the Kenny Foundation U.S.A.
