Pelegrina Sardá Sardá

Born in Manzanillo, former province of Oriente, she studied at the nursing school of the "Número Uno" hospital and would come to hold important professional responsibilities, such as the superintendency of the nursing school of the "Gral. Calixto García Íñiguez" hospital.

In 1909 and by initiative of nurse Margarita Núñez Núñez, the National Association of Nurses of Cuba was founded. In 1913, on the occasion of new elections, Margarita was reelected to her position as president. Accompanying her in the new board were: Antonia Casanova, Vda. de García Garófalo, as vice-president; Martina Guevara, (promoter along with Margarita in the founding of the Association) elected as secretary; Angela Lastra, vice-secretary; Rosa Luis Ortiz, treasurer; Pelegrina Sardá, as vice-treasurer; and members at large: Verena Jobert, Vda. de Fontenueva, Teresa Llerena, Dolores Artiles, Felina Rodríguez and Micaela Acosta.

On June 9, 1918, following elections in the National Association of Nurses of Cuba and with the resignation of the founding president due to her precarious health, Pelegrina Sardá y Sardá was elected president of this Association, she who until that moment had served as vice-treasurer. Along with Pelegrina, the new board was composed of: Isabel Pereira, as vice-president; Dolores González, secretary; Emma Delofeu, as vice-secretary; Delfina Vázquez, treasurer; Rufina Gómez, vice-treasurer; and as members at large: Coloma Liuch, Vda de Pérez, Luz Mederos, Celia Álvarez, Ana María García and Emilia Delgadillo.

In November 1921 the National Federation of Women's Associations of Cuba was organized, which was constituted by five Associations, one of which was the Nurses Association. On April 1, 1923, the I National Congress of Women began, held in Havana, which would last until the 6th, and to which the National Association of Nurses of Cuba sent a delegation composed of nurses Antonia Prieto de Calvo, who held the position of chief of the Infant Hygiene service, and Pelegrina Sardá y Sardá, President of the Nurses Association, since 1918.

Under the presidency of Pelegrina Sardá, in August 1923, at a regular general meeting, the draft law presented by Miss Eugenie Hibbard, chief of the Nursing Bureau, and Hortensia Pérez, secretary of the Association, was submitted for approval by the societies, so that an amendment to the nurses' retirement law could be approved, in order that they could retire after twenty years of service, without having to wait until they were 55 years old. (This draft was ultimately not approved).

Later, on April 4, 1924, Hortensia Pérez, who at that time held the position of sub-chief of the Nursing Bureau, proposed to the Council Board meeting, presided by Pelegrina Sardá, the convenience of obtaining authorization to celebrate "Nurses' Day" and carry out a collection that day in order to dedicate its funds to the construction of the projected Nurses' Home, an ideal of the member nurses almost since the Association was founded.

Dr. Enrique Porto, at that time Secretary of Health and Welfare, approved the project and submitted it to the consideration of the President of the Republic, who authorized that on June 3, 1924, "Nurses' Day" be celebrated. This was the last important activity carried out under the presidency of Pelegrina, for in a meeting held on July 7 of that same year 1924, elections were held in the Association and Martina Guevara Molina was elected as the new President.

On April 18, 1948, nurse Pelegrina Sardá y Sardá died in Havana, at the age of 76, she who had held the responsibilities of Superintendent of the nursing school of the "Gral. Calixto García Íñiguez" hospital and President of the National Association of Nurses of Cuba, in the period 1918-1924.

She died in Havana at 76 years of age.

Source: Revista Cubana de Enfermería