Cecilia Ibeabuchi
Cecilia Ibeabuchi | |
|---|---|
| Born | |
| Occupation | Registered Nurse |
| Medical career | |
| Institutions | St. Francis House Nurses’ Clinic, Boston Healthcare for the Homeless Program |
| Sub-specialties | Podiatry |
Cecilia Ibeabuchi is a Nigerian-American public health nurse who has dedicated her life to providing health care services for homeless people. She is known for starting the foot care clinic for homeless individuals at St. Francis House through Boston Healthcare for the Homeless.[1]
Early life
[edit]In 1984, at age 24, Ibeabuchi moved from Nigeria to Boston, settling in Roxbury, and was shocked to learn that "such a wealthy nation would allow its least fortunate citizens to be homeless". As a nursing student, Ibeabuchi's curiosity about homeless people led her to a clinical rotation at the Pine Street Inn. She felt connected to homeless people, as an immigrant far away from her family. Ibeabuchi obtained a BA in biology from Emmanuel College, another BA in nursing from Simmons College, and a master’s degree in nursing from Suffolk University.[2][1][3][4]
Career
[edit]Ibeabuchi was the director of a long-term care facility in Dorchester. In 1995, Ibeabuchi began working at Boston Healthcare for the Homeless as the director of nursing. She started out running the Betty Snead House, a respite facility specially catered towards female patients. In 2001, Ibeabuchi transitioned to St. Francis House, due to a staff shortage, and has worked there ever since.[4]
After treating a patient with a severe infection in his feet, Ibeabuchi saw the need for a foot clinic for homeless people, and proposed the idea to her supervisor. The foot clinic has been in operation by BHCHP, through St. Francis House, for over two decades as of 2024, and has treated thousands of homeless patients. The focus on treating patients' feet aims to alleviate patients' discomfort, assess and identify serious health risks, improve patients' ability to transport themselves on foot, and strengthen relationships and trust between patients and providers.[4][1][2]
Ibeabuchi, along with Barry Bock, helped identify the need for more governance among homeless patients in the BHCHP organization, which led to the creation of the Consumer Advisory Board.[5]
Ibeabuchi has served as a mentor for African American, Latina, Asian, and Native American students through the Dotson Bridge and Mentoring Program at Simmons College, and for youth in the Nigerian Youth Organization of Boston.[6][7][8]
Honors
[edit]In 2006, Ibeabuchi was a Boston Neighborhood Fellow through The Boston Foundation.[6]
In 2012, Ibeabuchi was an honorary degree recipient at Tufts University.[9][10]
In 2020, Ibeabuchi and her clinic were featured in Kahane Cooperman's and John Hoffman's documentary, The Antidote.[11][12]
In 2024, the Boston Celtics honored Ibeabuchi with a Hero Among Us award for her decades of work treating Boston's homeless population.[13]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c Tarantal, Erika (2024-01-05). "This Mass. program cares for unhoused with compassion, empathy". WCVB. Archived from the original on 2025-02-06. Retrieved 2025-02-05.
- ^ a b Thompson, Isaiah (2024-02-05). "Treating Homelessness, One Foot at A Time". Non Profit News | Nonprofit Quarterly. Archived from the original on 2025-02-06. Retrieved 2025-02-05.
- ^ Morrison, Jim. "Newton woman cares for the homeless". Wicked Local. Archived from the original on 2025-02-06. Retrieved 2025-02-06.
- ^ a b c Chokki, Tenzin (2024-05-06). "Two BHCHP Nurse Veterans Reflect on their 25+ Years Caring for Our Patients". Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program. Retrieved 2025-02-06.
- ^ National Health Care for the Homeless Council (2018-09-01). "The Birth of Consumer Advisory Boards at Health Care for the Homeless Programs: A Case Study from Boston" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2025-02-06.
- ^ a b "Past Neighborhood Fellows". The Boston Foundation. Archived from the original on 2025-02-06. Retrieved 2025-02-06.
- ^ "Nigerian Youth Organization Inc - GuideStar Profile". www.guidestar.org. Archived from the original on 2025-02-06. Retrieved 2025-02-06.
- ^ "Dotson Bridge & Mentoring Program | Simmons University". www.simmons.edu. Archived from the original on 2025-02-06. Retrieved 2025-02-06.
- ^ "Honorary Degree Recipients 2012". Commencement. Archived from the original on 2025-02-06. Retrieved 2025-02-06.
- ^ "Tufts University 2012 Commencement Ceremony Schedule". Medford, MA Patch. 2012-05-16. Archived from the original on 2025-02-06. Retrieved 2025-02-06.
- ^ Cooperman, Kahane; Hoffman, John (2020-09-30). "The Antidote". Apple TV. Archived from the original on 2025-02-06. Retrieved 2025-02-06.
- ^ Better World Projects (2020). "Official Press Kit: The Antidote" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2025-02-06.
- ^ Boston Celtics (2024-04-06). "Today's @IBEW103 & @necaboston #HeroAmongUs has provided care to Boston's homeless population for 40+ years". X.
- Activists from Boston
- American health activists
- American homelessness activists
- American human rights activists
- American nurses
- American nursing administrators
- American social justice activists
- American women activists
- American women nurses
- Medical missionaries
- Nursing educators
- Living people
- Nigerian women activists
- Nigerian nurses
- 21st-century Nigerian women