Tracey Pattie, Stephanie Rackemann (CN & A/NE Biggenden MPHS) and Leisa Jackson (NUM Ward 3 MBH)
Three Wide Bay Hospital and Health Service nurses have been awarded prestigious scholarships at the Australian College of Nursing Awards Night.
These scholarships, which celebrate the memory of the 21 nurses massacred at Radji Beach on Bangka Island, Indonesia, in 1942, alongside the sole survivor Lt Col Vivian Bullwinkel, aim to empower future generations of nurses to continue their journey in providing exceptional healthcare for all Australians.
Local recipients Leisa Jackson, Stephanie Rackeman, and Tracey Pattie expressed their gratitude and enthusiasm for the awards ceremony, emphasising the significance of the occasion which was hosted on the 82nd anniversary of the massacre.
Tracey Pattie was especially moved to have met the niece of Matron Irene Drummond, the most senior nurse who was killed in the massacre. Tracey plans to maintain a meaningful connection with the family to learn more about Matron Drummond's legacy, and to lay a wreath in her honour at this year’s Anzac Day Dawn Service.
Family members of the massacre victims in attendance at the ceremony, expressed their deep pride and honor that the legacies of their loved ones would be carried forward through these scholarships.
The event served as a touching tribute to the bravery, dedication, and unwavering commitment of nurses, past and present, to the healthcare community.