Ornell H. Balzer, R.N., Oral History Interview, September 4, 2003
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Description
Major Topics Covered:
- Early nursing at MD Anderson
- Working at the The Baker Estate
- Nursing work at MD Anderson
- Interactions with employees and patients
Interview Chapters
Chapter 01: Among MD Anderson's First Nurses
Identifier
Balzer_OH_01_20030904
Publication Date
9-4-2003
Publisher
The Making Cancer History® Voices Oral History Collection, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
City
Houston, Texas
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.
Topics Covered
University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, UT MD Anderson Cancer Center, University of Texas System. M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, M.D. Anderson Hospital and Tumor Institute at Houston, University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, M.D. Anderson Hospital and Tumor Institute
Disciplines
History of Science, Technology, and Medicine | Oncology | Oral History
Recommended Citation
Balzer, Ornell H. RN and Brunet, Lesley W., "Ornell H. Balzer, R.N., Oral History Interview, September 4, 2003" (2003). Interview Sessions. 7.
https://openworks.mdanderson.org/mchv_interviewsessions/7
About the Interview
This interview with Ornell Balzer begins with the evolution of her career at M.D. Anderson. She recounts how she moved to Houston after graduating from nursing school and her return to M.D. Anderson. Ms. Balzer then details her memories of time spent working at Baker Estate and her interactions with colleagues and patients.
Ornell Balzer was one of the first four nurses to work at M.D. Anderson. She was born in Shaws Bend, near Columbus in central Texas and graduated from the Brackenridge School of Nursing at University of Texas in Austin in 1949. Her career at M.D. Anderson began in 1949. She spent three years at M.D. Anderson before leaving to work in a doctor’s office. In 1960 Ms. Balzer returned to M.D. Anderson as the head nurse during the start of the cancer center and later worked in radiotherapy. She was well-known to many employees at M.D. Anderson and can be seen in photos in the MdGovern Visitors Gallery and in the historical text, “The First Twenty Years of The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Hospital and Tumor Institute.” Ornell Balzer passed away on October 9, 2005 at the age of 93.