This monument, created by the sculptor Francisco Escudero, pays tribute to the Spanish nurse Isabel Zendal Gómez, a key figure in the Real Expedición Filantrópica de la Vacuna.
The sculpture stands on Victoria Fernández España Street in A Coruña, very close to the Casa de Expósitos del Hospital de la Caridad, the institution of which Zendal was head. Funded by the Club de Leones La Coruña Decano, it was inaugurated on November 30, 2020, marking the anniversary of the expedition’s departure from the port of A Coruña in 1803. Led by the physician Francisco Xavier Balmis, the mission aimed to bring the smallpox vaccine to Spain’s overseas territories.
The sculpture depicts Zendal holding a baby in her arms, accompanied by two other children, symbolizing the orphaned children who took part in the expedition.
The monument honors her contribution to the expedition and highlights her as the first nurse in history to take part in an international public health mission. The plaque bears the following inscription:
CLUB DE LEONES LA CORUÑA DECANO / HOMENAXE A / ISABEL ZENDAL GÓMEZ/ (PARADA-ORDES, A CORUÑA 1771) / REITORA DA CASA DE EXPÓSITOS DO HOSPITAL DA CARIDADE DA CORUÑA, ENFERMEIRA DA REAL EXPEDICIÓN FILANTRÓPICA / DA VACINA QUE MARCHOU O 30 DE NOVEMBRO DE 1803 AOS TERRITORIOS DE ULTRAMAR PARA ERRADICAR A VARÍOLA. / PRIMEIRA ENFERMEIRA DA HISTORIA EN MISIÓN INTERNACIONAL DE SAÚDE PÚBLICA, A REFV (1803-1812)/ LEVOU A AMÉRICA E ASIA A PRIMEIRA VACINA QUE COÑECEU A HUMANIDADE / COLABORADORES: / EXCMO CONCELLO DA CORULA, AUTORIDADE PORTUARIA DA CORUÑA, EXCMO. CONCELLO DE ORDES, CARTESÓN SL, CENTER CORUÑA HOTELES SL, CESPA / COMAPAÑÍA DE TRANVÍAS DE LA CORUÑA SA, ESCOLAS INFANTÍS OS PEQUERRECHOS, ESTRELLA GALICIA, FUNDACIÓN MARÍA JOSÉ JOVÉ, GADIS, INTERNACO S.A, NORTEMPO / INAUGURADO O 30 DE NOVEMBRO DE 2020
Club de Leones La Coruña Decano / Tribute to / Isabel Zendal Gómez / (Parada–Ordes, A Coruña 1771) / Head of the Foundling Home of the Charity Hospital of A Coruña, nurse of the Royal Philanthropic Expedition / of the vaccine that departed on November 30, 1803, to overseas territories to eradicate smallpox. / First nurse in history on an international public health mission, the RPEV (1803–1812) / She brought to America and Asia the first vaccine known to humanity / Collaborators: / Hon. City Council of A Coruña, Port Authority of A Coruña, Hon. City Council of Ordes, Cartesón SL, Center Coruña Hoteles SL, CESPA / Compañía de Tranvías de La Coruña SA, Escolas Infantís Os Pequerrechos, Estrella Galicia, Fundación María José Jové, Gadis, Internaco S.A., Nortempo / Inaugurated on November 30, 2020
- Photos and main text by Sabela Nóvoa Gómez moc.liamg|im9211ebas#| (December 2025)
- Locate the item on this Google Map
Bibliography:
- Asensi Botet, F. (2012). Fighting against smallpox around the world. The vaccination expeditions of Xavier de Balmis (1803–1806) and Josep Salvany (1803–1810). Contributions to Science, 8(1), 99–105