Dr. Veronica Delaney was one of the first female transplant nephrologists in the United States.

Graduating from University College Cork (UCC) with a BSc in biochemistry in 1960, she was one of the few women in her class.

Sticking to her dream of becoming a medical professional, Dr. Delaney went on to study at the University of London/ St. Mary’s Hospital, graduating with a Ph.D. and M.D. with Honors and First Place in Medicine. During that time

her husband, Jim Power, a dentist and piano player, died, and she was left completing her medical residency in Dublin with two young children, Samantha and Stephen Power.

Today, after much perseverance, Dr. Delaney is a professor of medicine and a transplant nephrologist at the renowned Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City.

She worked tirelessly through the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic – dedicated entirely to her patient’s needs – the same dedication that resulted in over five Patient’s Choice Awards over a decade.

In May 2022, she was granted an honorary degree in medicine from UCC as part of a graduation ceremony for 200 medical students.

“I had many wonderful years at University College Cork, and I am honored to receive this honorary doctorate today,” she said at the event.

Dr. Delaney’s daughter, Samantha Power, served as United States Ambassador to the U.N. during the Obama administration and she currently serves as Administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development said of her mother: “She’s the most curious person I’ve ever known. I can imagine her as a scrawny little Cork girl, stepping onto campus and eating it all up, and that love of learning she instilled in me.”  ♦