Why is Dr. Kate Newcomb Important?

     Dr. Kate Newcomb, the angel of Woodruff, left a significant impact on both Woodruff and nationwide.  In her rural hometown of Woodruff Kate Newcomb is most well known for creating the Howard Young Medical Center, but she did far more than just that.  Kate was important to her town because there were no hospitals for the small population of 7,000 people, so Kate took on the challenge of becoming a doctor that would make house calls, which sometimes meant Kate driving over 100 miles per day.  Many people know of her kind heart and soul through many of Kate's actions which include the fact that she never turned away a patient in need, Dr. Kate would never bill a patient, for she knew that the people of Woodruff had little money, and most surprisingly of all she allowed her more sick patients to spend the night in one of two cabins located on her Boulder Junction property.  What most people are unaware of is that, along with all of her medical experience, she also helped to obtain a better school building, worked towards getting a church for the community, and she was also known as a family pediatrician.

     Not only is Dr. Kate Newcomb a legacy for Woodruff she has also impacted the whole nation through various ways: she believed in getting all children the proper vaccinations, Dr. Kate made people aware of the dumping of sewage into lakes, she also gave new health care knowledge to all summer camps, and Dr. Kate Newcomb solved the milk problem that was occurring by realizing that the glass bottles had not been properly sterilized.  One trend that Dr. Kate Newcomb had created throughout the world was the teaching of natural childbirth.  Dr. Kate actually taught the first natural childbirth class.  The most significant impact that Dr. Kate Newcomb had left was left not only because of her medical practices but because she was a female.  In the early 1900's there were not many job opportunities for women besides the "normal" teaching and housework type careers.  Dr. Kate had broken that barrier, despite what other people thought of her decision.  She laid the ground work for many women to follow.  She was persistent in knowing what she wanted and what she could do and that is what people should think of when they hear the name Dr. Kate Newcomb.