5 Reasons to help us

Help us create an exhibition to shine a light on the lasting legacy of Florence Nightingale, the founder of modern nursing, during her Bicentenary year. The Lady With The Lamp’s ideas on cleanliness, sanitation, diet and fresh air are as relevant today as they were revolutionary then.

Before she even became famous as The Lady With The Lamp, Florence started chipping away at the glass ceiling, using her fame behind the scenes, in a male dominated world, to make it acceptable for women to have careers.

People know Nightingale as a nurse, but she was so much more. Did you know she was a female icon in a male dominated world, a healthcare pioneer and campaigner? When she was born being a ‘nurse’ was an extremely lowly ‘occupation’ (as Dicken’s Mrs Gamp shows), but by the time she died women were inspired to become nurses during WWI to help their country.

Nightingale was a trailblazer, the first nurse to use evidence to promote her ideas on improving healthcare for ordinary people. If you didn't realise that she was the first woman member of the Royal Statistical Society, an inspiration for the founding of the Red Cross, and the second woman to be given the Freedom of the City of London, then help us create this exhibition so you can find out more.

Donate to say ‘thank you' if you've ever been helped by a nurse today. Nightingale founded the first school dedicated to training nurses. The school (now based at King's College London) trained professional nurses, who then spread their learning and skills around the world.