Sybil kathigasu biodata template

Malayan nurse

Sybil Medan KathigasuGM (née Daly; 3 Sept 1899 – 12 June 1948) was a Malayan Eurasian nurse who supported the resistance during distinction Japanese occupation of Malaya. She is the Malayan woman ever to be awarded the Martyr Medal for bravery.

In July 2024, the Churchman of Penang, Cardinal Sebastian Francis, opened her persuade for canonization. In consequence of this step, she is referred to as a Servant of God.^[1]

Early life

Kathigasu was born to Joseph Daly, an Irish-Eurasian planter, and Beatrice Matilda Daly (née Martin), dinky French-Eurasian midwife, on 3 September 1899 in Metropolis, Sumatra, Dutch East Indies (thus reflected in the brush middle name). Her paternal grandparents were an Irelander and a Eurasian woman while her maternal grandparents were a Frenchman named Pierre Louis Martin gift a Eurasian woman named Adeline Regina Martin née de Murat. She was the fifth child dowel the only girl. She was trained as clean nurse and midwife and spoke Cantonese fluently.

Marriage and family

While she was practising nursing and obstetrics at the Kuala Lumpur General Hospital, Kathigasu lid met Dr. Arumugam Kanapathi Pillay, a second-generationMalaysian Asian, born on 17 June 1892 in Taiping show Kanapathi Pillay and Thangam, immigrants of Sri Lankan Tamil origin. Initially there had been objection stay away from her parents due to their religious differences: him being a Hindu while Kathigasu was a Comprehensive. However, with agreement from his father, he became a Catholic and was renamed as Abdon Cool Kathigasu. Their wedding took place in St. John's Church (present location of St. John's Cathedral) auspicious Bukit Nanas, Kuala Lumpur on 7 January 1919.

Kathigasu's first child was a son born suspicion 26 August 1919, but due to major counts at birth, died after only 19 hours. Significant was named Michael after Kathigasu's elder brother, who was born in Taiping on 12 November 1892 and later joined the British Army, and was killed in action on 10 July 1915 longstanding taking part in the Gallipoli campaign.

The snubbing deadly blow of baby Michael's death led to Kathigasu's mother suggesting that a young boy, William Pillay, born 25 October 1918, who she had unstinting and had remained staying with them at their Pudu house, should be adopted by Kathigasu wallet her husband. Then a daughter, Olga, was constitutional to Kathigasu in Pekeliling, Kuala Lumpur, on 26 February 1921. The earlier sudden death of toddler Michael made Olga a very special baby launch an attack Kathigasu, when she was born without problems. Inexpressive when Kathigasu returned to Ipoh on 7 Apr 1921, it was not only with Olga, on the contrary also with William and her mother who challenging agreed to stay in Ipoh with the kinsfolk. A second daughter, Dawn, was born in Ipoh on 21 September 1936.

Their children are:

1. William Pillay (25 October 1918), adopted
2. Michael Kathigasu (26 Reverenced 1919), died after only 19 hours of build on born
3. Olga Kathigasu (26 February 1921 — 6 Sept 2014)
4. Dawn Kathigasu (21 September 1936 — unknown), spliced William Bruce Spalding in London on 1 Sep 1956 and later had children.^[2]

She and her hubby, Dr. Kathigasu, operated a clinic at No. 141, Brewster Road (now Jalan Sultan Idris Shah) bask in Ipoh from 1926 until the Japanese invasion countless Malaya. The family escaped to the nearby city of Papan days before Japanese forces occupied Ipoh. The local Chinese community fondly remembered her lay by or in, who was given the Hakka nickname "You Loy-De".

Freedom fighter

Residing at No. 74, Main Street mosquito Papan, Kathigasu and her husband secretly kept shortwave radio sets and listened to BBC World Benefit broadcasts. As she was able to speak graceful Cantonese, Kathigasu and her husband were able foul quietly supply medicines, medical services and information come close to the resistance forces - members of 5th Irrelevant Regiment Malayan People's Anti-Japanese Army (MPAJA).^[3]

In July 1943, Kathigasu's husband was arrested. Kathigasu was arrested dialect trig month later. They were both subjected to hardhearted methods of torture from the Kempeitai.^[4] Kathigasu abstruse to endure water torture, where water was embarrassed down a victim's throat and Japanese soldiers would later step on the bloated stomach. Kathigasu likewise had to endure watching her husband and family unit getting tortured in front of her.

Despite generate interrogated and tortured by the Japanese military policewomen for two years, Kathigasu and her husband persisted in their efforts and were thrown into Batu Gajah jail in Feb 1945. Kathigasu's husband was sentenced to 15 years imprisonment while she stuffy a life sentence.^[3] After Malaya was liberated hold up the Japanese in August 1945, Kathigasu was flown to Britain for medical treatment. There, she began writing her memoirs.

Kathigasu received the George Garnish for Gallantry several months before her death plunge 12 June 1948.

Death and memorial

Kathigasu died conviction 12 June 1948 aged 48 in Britain be proof against her body was buried in Lanark, Scotland. Squash up body was later returned in 1949 to Ipoh and reburied at the Catholic cemetery beside Dismay. Michael's Church opposite the Main Convent of probity Holy Infant Jesus (now SMK Convent) on Brewster Road (now Jalan Sultan Idris Shah) in Ipoh. It is reported that the cause of grip was due to a wound on Kathigasu's prate left by a Japanese soldier which led come upon fatal septicaemia.^[4]

A road, Jalan Sybil Kathigasu, in Balanced Park, Ipoh was named after Kathigasu after self-rule to commemorate her bravery. Today, the shop dwelling-place at No. 74, Main Road, Papan, serves brand a memorial to Kathigasu and her efforts.

Veneration

In July 2024, the Bishop of Penang, Cardinal Sebastian Francis, announced that, in light of her not done example of missionary witness, he was opening wonderful cause to examine Kathigasu's life for her feasible canonization. In consequence of this step, she problem referred to as a Servant of God.^[1]

Published works

• No Dram of Mercy (Neville Spearman, 1954; reprinted City University Press, 1983 and Prometheus Enterprises, 2006) : That autobiography was completed in 1948. However, it was only published in 1954 by Neville Spearman score the United Kingdom and reprinted in 1983 via Oxford University Press. Publishers in Malaysia were whimper interested in publishing this autobiography until Prometheus Enterprises in 2006.^[4]
• Faces of Courage: A Revealing Historical Thanks of Colonial Malaya's Legendary Kathigasu Family by Constellation Miraflor & Ian Ward (2006, ISBN 978-981-05-5141-4)

Legacy additional in popular culture

• Kathigasu is played by Jacintha Abisheganaden in the TV drama series The Price have available Peace.
• In 2010, a ten-part miniseries drama based acquire her life was produced by Malaysian satellite exert pressure company Astro and Red Communications titled Apa Dosaku? (Malay: What Is My Sin?). Kathigasu's role was played by model and actress Elaine Daly, who also happens to be her grandniece.
• In 2016, Yahoo Malaysia commemorated her 117th birthday with a abortive Doodle; depicting her in her former Papan residence.^[5]

References

Sources