Valerie Ann Taylor, OBE (born 8 February 1944) is a British-Bangladeshi physiotherapist, social worker and philanthropist.[1] She is the founder of Centre for the Rehabilitation of the Paralysed (CRP) in Savar, Dhaka District.[2] Dubbed the Mother Theresa of Bangladesh,[3] she was awarded 2004 Independence Day Award by the Government of Bangladesh for her public service.[4] In 1998, she was granted Bangladeshi citizenship by the Prime Minister of Bangladesh.[1]
Valerie Ann Taylor | |
|---|---|
| Born | 8 February 1944 |
| Citizenship |
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| Known for | Founder of Centre for the Rehabilitation of the Paralysed |
| Parents |
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| Awards | full list |
Early life
editTaylor was born in Kent, England to Marie Taylor and William Taylor.[5] She grew up living close to National Spinal Injuries Centre at Stoke Mandeville Hospital in England.[6]
Career
editIn 1969, Taylor came to Bangladesh, under contract for 15 months, with the Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO) to work as a physiotherapist in the Christian Hospital, Chandraghona in the Chittagong Hill Tracts.[1] She established the Centre for the Rehabilitation of the Paralysed (CRP) in 1979.[5] At the start of her career, she was running CRP with four patients in an abandoned warehouse of the Shaheed Suhrawardy Hospital. Later CRP has grown to include a 100-bed hospital.[7]
Personal life
editTaylor is a legal guardian to two girls with disabilities.[5]
Awards and honors
edit- Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) (1995)[1]
- Arthur Eyre Brook Gold Medal (1996)
- National Social Service Award (2000)
- Anannya Top Ten Awards (2000)
- Millennium Award (2000)
- Dr. MR Khan and Anwara Trust Gold Medal (2001)
- Hakkani Mission Bangladesh Award (2001)
- Bangladesh Independence Day Award (2004)
- Rokeya Shining Personality Award (2005)
- Princess Diana Gold Medal (2007)[8]
- Mahatma Gandhi Peace Award (2009)
- Lifetime Achievement Award by Hope Foundation for Women & Children of Bangladesh (2009)
- Nova Southeastern University Award (2009)
- Rotary International Award (2013)[3]
- National Environment Award (2020)[2]
References
edit- ^ a b Ahmed, Bulbul (2021-02-11). "Three individuals, 3 organisations get National Environment Award-2020". Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS). Retrieved 2021-02-12.
- ^ a b "Valerie Taylor wins Rotary International award". The Daily Star. June 8, 2013. Retrieved February 9, 2016.
- ^ "Independence Award 2004 handed over". The Daily Star. 2004-03-26. Retrieved 2021-02-12.
- ^ a b c "Valerie Ann Taylor: Founder and Coordinator of CRP". The Daily Star. November 28, 2014. Retrieved February 9, 2016.
- ^ "Valerie Taylor's anniversary of birth today". The Daily Star. February 8, 2011. Retrieved February 9, 2016.
- ^ "Valerie Ann Taylor". CRP-Bangladesh. Retrieved 2016-02-13.
- ^ Amitava Kar (March 8, 2015). "IF YOU WANT TO KNOW WHAT LOVE IS". The Daily Star. Retrieved February 9, 2016.
Further reading
edit- "CHALLENGING THE STIGMA". The Daily Star.
- Khan, Mubin S. (1 June 2007). "Divided we fall". New Age. Dhaka. Archived from the original on 2007-07-07. Retrieved February 13, 2016.