Dick & Jean Bedell
Long ago when nurses wore white uniforms and only doctors had stethoscopes, Dick and Jean Bedell met in the back wards of Duke University Hospital. Dick was looking for someone who could support him through residency training. Jean was looking for someone who would provide drugs to keep her awake while working night shifts.
Now, Dick is a retired pediatrician, and Jean is a nurse specializing in geriatrics. And so they refer to themselves as the “womb to tomb” couple. Twenty-eight years ago, the Bedells became interested in medical mission work. They have since volunteered their services in India, Nepal, Mexico, Gambia, Malawi, China, Tajikistan, and on the Navajo Indian reservation. Currently, they spend two to three months each year in India and work in Mante, Mexico with the Boulder Community Hospital medical campaign.
Dick has trained over 2000 doctors, nurses and midwives in how to handle the emergency situation when newborns don't breathe on their own. He also serves on the Board of the 400-bed Wanless Hospital in Miraj, India. Staying linked with the hospital by computer, he has helped facilitate grants for new or additional equipment. As a volunteer for Project C.U.R.E., which collects and ships medical equipment to over 100 third-world countries, Dick has assessed the needs of hospitals and clinics in numerous third world countries.
In addition to her nursing skills, Jean is a Certified Conciliator offering workshops in Conflict Management. In India, her clientele includes illiterate slum/village women, religious leaders representing Muslim, Hindu, Jain and Christian groups, and (her favorites) students in 8 th to 10 th grade. Dick and Jean have been instrumental in establishing a Home of Hope Hostel for 50 girls whose mothers are prostitutes. This haven provides the girls with education, security and a hope for a positive future. As a breast cancer survivor, Jean established breast cancer support groups in India and Mexico.
Dick and Jean are both members of the Boulder Rotary Club. They have implemented six Rotary International Matching Grants for Hospice facilities, an Alzheimer's Respite Center, and a medical waste incinerator. Last year (2009) they were each honored to receive the Rotary International Service Above Self award. This award is given annually to only 120 Rotarians worldwide. In 1998, Dick received the Daily Camera Pacesetter Award.
The Bedells practiced raising four children and now have all the answers on how to raise their ten grandchildren in Georgia and Colorado.
To learn about more about Boulder's 'New Pioneers', check out our previous Award Winners page.
