Paper: 978-1-9766-0108-8 | eISBN: 978-1-9766-0109-5
Meet the trailblazing doctor whose determination, compassion, and vision helped to save lives and inspired a generation to make history.
As a child in the late 1800s, young Kate Pelham knew she wanted to have a career when she grew up, even though that wasn’t expected of women at the time. After losing her mother and then her fiancée at a young age, she decided to dedicate her life to becoming a doctor—a career path then largely closed to women. But Kate would not be deterred, and before long she was known throughout the Wisconsin Northwoods as, simply, Dr. Kate.
Written for ages 8–11, Dr. Kate’s Courageous Calling shares the remarkable story of a woman who challenged expectations, transformed her community, and inspired thousands through a lifetime of service. Readers will journey alongside Kate Pelham-Newcomb as she traverses snowy back roads—sometimes on snowshoes—to care for patients. They will discover how, as the local health officer, she established community health standards and helped improve water and milk sanitation throughout the Northwoods region.
The story reaches an unforgettable climax with the extraordinary Million Penny Campaign, led by local high school students—many of whom Dr. Kate had delivered as babies—to raise money for a desperately needed hospital. Their efforts attracted contributions from tens of thousands of people around the world, bringing in more than enough to build the Lakeland Memorial Hospital in Woodruff, Wisconsin.
Dr. Kate’s Courageous Calling is a story of perseverance, leadership, sacrifice, and a community that joined together to make a difference. Combining women’s history, local history, and a remarkable true story of civic engagement, this book celebrates a pioneering physician who healed her neighbors and inspired the world.
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