Isala Van Diest, the first female physician in Belgium

Isala was born here in Leuven, more precisely at number 124 on Brusselsestraat, on May 7 1842. Like her father, she wanted to become a doctor, but around 1860 this was far from self-evident for a woman.

During this walk, I talk about her Leuven roots, her struggle to become a doctor, her struggle to be able to work and be accepted as a physician, and her fight for gender equality and women’s rights at a time when these issues were still very far removed from everyday life for women.