OTTAWA,
October 11, 2000 -- The National Archives of Canada announces the
official acquisition of the personal archives of Lucille Teasdale and
Piero Corti, the extraordinary Canadian-Italian medical couple who
dedicated their lives to their patients at St. Mary's-Lacor Hospital,
in Gulu, Uganda. The signing ceremony held in Montreal, was attended
by Mr. Corti, Mr. Ian E. Wilson, the National Archivist of
Canada, and a number of members of the Teasdale family and the Lucille
Teasdale and Piero Corti Foundation.
The
ceremony
Ian E.
Wilson presented a cheque for $25,000 to Ms. Monique Teasdale,
Lucille Teasdale’s sister and secretary-treasurer of the
Canadian Foundation, on whose behalf the Teasdale-Corti family
donated its archives. He stressed the importance of welcoming
these records to the National Archives of Canada:
"Canadians will have unfettered access to the history of
these incomparable models of vision, dedication, devotion,
self-denial, ingenuity, optimism and humanity... Their example
will continue to serve as an inspiration for young people today
and tomorrow and encourage them to do more."
Piero
Corti, a talented speaker, naturally regaled the audience with
stories of Lucille. He was happy to see Lucille take her
rightful place in history and to be recognized as a real hero in
Canada, a country that was always dear to her despite her long
absences. Ms Louise Baillargeon, from the Foundation, noted
that this transaction has a much more practical significance for
the charitable institution. "The amount that the Foundation
received today constitutes an important contribution to the
budget of St-Mary’s-Lacor Hospital which requires 1.2 million
dollars to operate properly. It will be used to help the sick,
either by expanding the facilities, purchasing equipment and
medicines, training new professionals or conducting
research."
The event
was hosted by, Andrée Lavoie, the archivist responsible for
the acquisition, which she considers to be an exceptional one.
"The acquisition of this fonds been the most moving of my
entire career. I had the privilege of meeting Piero and
Dominique Corti, the husband and daughter of
Lucille Teasdale, and to get a close look at the records they
are bequeathing us. They give us an unparalleled glimpse into
the extraordinary life of this family, which sounds to us like
an epic novel but is in fact their reality." |
![The National Archivist and the famous doctor in animated discussion.](0338/images/t-1.jpg)
The National Archivist and the famous
doctor in
animated discussion. |
![Ian E. Wilson handing the cheque to Monique Teasdale.](0338/images/t-2.jpg)
Ian E. Wilson handing the cheque to
Monique Teasdale. |
![Piero Corti, Ian E. Wilson, Andrée Lavoie (front right) and members of the Foundation and of Lucille Teasdale's family.](0338/images/t-3.jpg)
Piero Corti, Ian E. Wilson, Andrée Lavoie
(front right)
and members of the Foundation and of
Lucille Teasdale's family. |
|
The fonds
The description
of the fonds, which includes a biography of Lucille Teasdale and Piero
Corti, is available to the public on the National Archives of Canada
Web site, by consulting the general
inventory of ArchiviaNet, the on-line research tool. The
fonds consist of various types of documents that are a testament to
the work, courage and many accomplishments of Lucille Teasdale and
Piero Corti. They include correspondence, photos, films, awards and
other personal and professional documents that were used in the
filming of a documentary on Lucille Teasdale, which will later be
broadcast on the CTV and TVA networks.
The
correspondence includes touching letters that the couple exchanged
before their marriage. The photos and films, taken in Africa and
elsewhere, illustrate the professional and personal life of Lucille,
Piero and Dominique, from the operating room to safari to the dining
room. A film of Lucille’s funeral in Gulu, Uganda, (1996) is also
included. The national and international awards that the couple
received for their work and their great courage include the
prestigious Feltrinelli and Sasakawa awards, as well as the Order of
Canada, the Ordre du mérite du Québec and the Order of Italy.
The personal and professional papers recount the various stages of
Lucille’s and Piero’s life and the evolution of the
St. Mary's-Lacor Hospital.
Fonds
Lucille Teasdale and Piero Corti (ArchiviaNet General
Inventory)
The Lucille
Teasdale and Piero Corti Foundation
Established
during the lifetime of Lucille Teasdale by her sisters Lise and
Monique, and by Piero Corti, the Lucille Teasdale and Piero Corti
Foundation (Montreal and Milan) is a non-profit corporation whose
mission is to ensure that the couple’s teaching and research work
carries on. The Foundation contributes financially to the operation of
St. Mary's-Lacor Hospital and its special projects and promotes the
two doctors’ example among young people here and around the world.
The couple’s daughter, Dominique Corti-Vergani, herself a doctor,
also works for the Italian Foundation.
The National
Archives of Canada
The mandate of the National Archives of Canada is to acquire and
preserve the nation’s historic testaments, including the essential
records of the Government of Canada. By making these sources from
their past and their history available to Canadians, the National
Archives help protect the rights of all citizens and help them better
understand their country.
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Media
representatives who want pictures from the ceremony or of the Lucille
Teasdale and Piero Corti fonds, a detailed inventory of the fonds or
any other information on this matter, can contact:
Pauline Portelance
Media Relations Officer
Telephone: (613) 996-6128
E-mail: media@lac-bac.gc.ca
|