Sofia Okunevska

Sofia Okunevska, born on May twelfth, eighteen sixty-five, was a pioneering Ukrainian physician, educator, and feminist. She made history as the first woman in Galicia to earn a gymnasium diploma and pursue a university education. Her groundbreaking achievements continued as she became the first female Doctor of Medicine and the first female physician in Austria-Hungary.

In her medical career, Okunevska was a trailblazer in the use of radiation therapy for cancer treatment in Galicia and Austria-Hungary. She was dedicated to advancing healthcare education, organizing courses for nursing sisters and midwives, and co-sponsoring the establishment of the first medical trade union. Additionally, she compiled a comprehensive dictionary of Ukrainian medical terminology, contributing significantly to the field.

Her professional journey took her beyond the borders of Galicia, as she practiced medicine in Switzerland, Czechia, and served in the Austrian camps during World War I. Throughout her life, Okunevska was an active public figure and a vital part of the feminist movement in Galicia and Austria-Hungary, advocating for women's rights and education.

In her later years, she returned to Lviv, where she continued to lead a small medical practice. Sofia Okunevska passed away in a hospital due to purulent appendicitis and was laid to rest in the Lychakiv Cemetery, leaving behind a legacy of courage and dedication to medicine and women's rights.