Mary Carson Breckinridge was a very special lady who lived a long time ago. She was born in the United States in 1881 and she helped many people who lived in the mountains, way far away from the hospitals and doctors that you might know.
When Mary was young, she lost her husband and two children, which made her very sad. But instead of giving up, she decided to help others who were struggling with sickness and poverty.
Mary trained to become a nurse, and then she learned how to be a midwife, which is someone who helps women have babies. She became really good at it and knew how to take care of mothers and babies in the mountains, where they didn't have hospitals or doctors nearby.
She wanted to help even more people, so she started her own nursing service called the Frontier Nursing Service. She traveled on horseback for many miles to reach people in remote areas of Kentucky, USA, where she provided medical care and delivered babies.
Sometimes Mary would have to cross rivers and rocky paths to reach people who needed her help. She was often the only healthcare provider that these people had ever seen, and she was very kind and caring to everyone.
Because of Mary's hard work and dedication, many mothers and babies in the mountains were saved. She helped to reduce the number of babies who died during childbirth, and she made sure that mothers knew how to take care of their babies properly.
Mary Carson Breckinridge is remembered today as a pioneer of modern nursing and midwifery, who helped to bring healthcare to people who would have otherwise gone without it.