Celia Sanchez was a revolutionary heroine who played a key role in the revolution right from the start. Her father was a much loved doctor who chose to work in the rural areas where he was most needed rather than earn more money in Havana. Celia was also much beloved across her whole district. She was of good family and spent much of her early life helping her father in his practice and many had been helped by her personally. She organised a lot of charity events such as a toys for Christmas initiative where she made sure that all the poor children got some kind of toy at Christmas. She was also well known for her picnics and fishing trips. Her wide contacts and activities provided the perfect cover for organising local support for Fidel and his men when they returned to Cuba in 1956. In the early years of the revolution Celia worked with Frank Pais and played a vital role in organising supplies of goods and new recruits for the revolutionary army. In doing so she took great risks and there was a warrant out for her arrest for many years. From 1957 she joined the guerrilla army and fought with Fidel and the others and helped to establish their military base in the Sierra Maestra mountains. She brought a woman’s touch to this base and helped construct hospitals and schools. She continued to work for the revolution alongside Fidel until she died in 1980. Celia was particularly known for may projects that provided work opportunities for women and for the Coppelia ice cream parlour in Havana. Fidel was known to consult with Celia about everything and was devastated when she died. There was also speculation about whether they were lovers. Celia Sanchez was a very important figure in the revolution and many have thought it unfair that although she is a heroine in Cuba, her name is little known outside Cuba. https://cubaninsider.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/fresh-evidence-of-celia-sanchez.html