The 52: Stories of Women Who Transformed Toronto
52% of Torontonians are women. It's time we tell their
Image: Myseum of Toronto.
Susan Bailey, head nurse of the Emigrant Hospital, was a front-line worker and one of the first healthcare professionals to respond to the typhus epidemic in 1847. Bailey herself contracted the fever in her dedicated service to her patients.
19th Century | Nurse
During the peak of the typhus epidemic in 1847, recent Irish emigrants in Toronto were one of the hardest hit populations in the city. Toronto, with a population of under 20,000 at the time, faced an overwhelming influx of 38,000 sick migrants that summer. Susan Bailey, the Head Nurse at Toronto’s Emigrant Hospital, was determined to serve the growing number of patients that were coming through their doors. By August of 1847, at the age of 32, Bailey lost her life to typhus while caring for the city’s newcomers in need.
Susan Bailey’s selfless efforts and untimely death highlight the hardships faced during this period of history.
Explore more women who transformed Toronto.
Explore More
Content
The 52: Stories of Women Who Transformed Toronto
52% of Torontonians are women. It's time we tell their stories.
Marcus Garvey and the UNIA
Learn how --
Winners & Losers
Sports Histories of Toronto
Meet The 52
Explore the full list of 52 remarkable women that make up the foundation of our multi-year project.
Bianca Andreescu
Bianca Andreescu has raised the global profile of tennis for Canadians. As one of the youngest winners of a Grand Slam singles title, Andreescu is the highest-ranked Canadian in Women’s
Beatrice Worsley
Beatrice Worsley is recognized as Canada’s first female computer scientist. Her lifetime of research and work in the field were at the forefront of Canada’s burgeoning computer science sector.
Menaka Thakkar
Menaka Thakkar established Canada’s first professional Indian dance company in 1978. Thakkar blended different cultural dance styles to co-create a performance called “East Meets West” in which she bridged cultural
Kathleen Taylor
Kathleen Taylor breaks ground no matter what industry she stands in. An accomplished business leader, her career continues to break barriers and light the way for women at major corporate
Emily Stowe
Emily Stowe was a founder of the Canadian Women’s Suffrage Association and the first female physician to publicly practice medicine in Ontario.
Min Sook Lee
Min Sook Lee is an industry-recognized filmmaker who advocates for social justice at the intersection of art and social change through her films and professorship at OCAD University.