St. Jude Hospital is a statutory body of the government of St. Lucia and is governed by a board of directors appointed by the minister of health. It is located in Augier, Vieux-Fort, on the southern tip of the island. The hospital was formally opened as a charity hospital by Mother Irma and the Sisters of the Sorrowful Mother, a Franciscan religious order based in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, U.S., and was staffed primarily by volunteer doctors, technicians and others from the United States and other countries. Since its founding, the hospital has been committed to partnering with individuals and international medical institutions. It strives to produce quality healthcare that is accessible, holistic and client-focused. These partners have included volunteers, many of whom have continued to return on a regular basis, in some cases for 20 or more years. These include physicians, dentists, nurses and persons from a variety of backgrounds.