Tuberculosis Patients" Big Sister

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Tuberculosis Patients" Big Sister

'Coughing brings blood. You should cover the patient's quilt at all times.'
The 22nd ChongBaek Grand Prize for Service went to Ms. Yang Hae Sook, a 43 year old nurse at Seoul's Sodaemun Hospital who is known as 'big sister' to all the hospital's T.B. patients.
After graduating from high school in nursing , she started attending to patients' needs in 1979 as a local official before moving to Sodaemun Hospital 16 years ago.
Most of the sick people have no relatives to depend on and their serious condition prevents them from being part of general society.
She has cried many tears while caring for these patients. She actually volunteered to work at the city-run hospital where few of her colleages desire to go.
Yang brought an open mind and boundless empathy to her patients. When treating infectious T.B. patients, there is always a danger of contracting the disease oneself so health workers must possess a self-sacrificing spirit.
'This is my life's calling.'
She assumed command of 60 nurses and became mother, sister, and even daughter to the patients.
The award, and the accompanying 750 dollars, honors her commitment but is little comfort to a woman who has personally seen 49 deaths by the disease.
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