Nine students have been awarded a special scholarship to help fund their studies.

The students all won scholarships set up in the name of Barbara Ball, a pioneer woman doctor and fighter for social justice.

Kim Wilson, the Minister of Health, said: “This government is proud to support Bermudians in their pursuit of careers in public health services.

“These nine new scholarship recipients join a long line of health professionals that have benefited from the Dr Barbara Ball Public Health Scholarship and gone on to personal and professional success.”

Ms Wilson added: “There are a great many number of job opportunities in Bermuda for health professionals to enjoy a challenging and rewarding career. I encourage eligible students pursuing a career in public health and in need of financial assistance to apply for the scholarship next year.”

The awards committee grants the scholarships based on a combination of factors, including academic achievement, financial need and the need for specialists in the applicants’ area of study.

Priority is given to nursing, allied health and social work and a total of 19 awards have been given since the annual scholarship was launched.

The 2019 scholarship winners were Toriah Smith, mental health nursing at Kingston University, Kyla Sinclair, physiotherapy at Bournemouth University; Taylor Hill, speech and language at Dalhousie University, Sasha Maybury, nursing at Southampton University, Candice Albuoy, social work at the University of Georgia; Crystal Dill, forensic psychology at Walden University, Annisha Peets, psychology at Walden University, Ter-Rae Morrison, nursing at Manchester University and Ivy Ingham, nursing at Advent Health University.

Dr Ball, the first woman doctor in Bermuda, was born on the island in 1924 and graduated from Liverpool University in 1949. She returned to Bermuda in 1954 after working in the UK and devoted her life to the poor and marginalised.

• For more information on the scholarships, visit www.gov.bm/barbara-ball-scholarship