Leila Denmark

Who was Leila Denmark?

Leila Alice Denmark, MD was an American pediatrician. She was the world's oldest practicing pediatrician until her retirement in May 2001 at the age of 103. She was a supercentenarian, living to the age of 114 years, 60 days. On December 10, 2011, at age 113 years 312 days, she became one of the 100 oldest people ever. At her death she was the 4th-oldest verified living person in the world and the 3rd-oldest verified living person in the United States.

As a pioneering female doctor, a medical researcher and an outspoken voice in the pediatric community, Denmark was one of the very few supercentenarians in history to gain prominence in life for reasons other than age.