On February 25, the People's Committee of Da Nang held a ceremony to present the 2024 "Shining White Blouse" award, organized by the city, and commemorate the 70th anniversary of Vietnamese Doctors' Day. At the event, Secretary of the Da Nang Party Committee Nguyen Van Quang, authorized by the State President, awarded the Friendship Medal to Virginia Mary Lockett - a volunteer, physiotherapist, and rehabilitation specialist.
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| Virginia (R) received the Friendship Medal on the Viet Nam Doctors' Day. (Photo: Tien Phong Newspaper) |
Virginia serves as a physiotherapist and rehabilitation specialist at the Da Nang Traditional Medicine Hospital. In 1995, she came to Viet Nam for the first time.
"When the interpreter knew I am a doctor, he invited me to visit his father, who suffered a stroke and was bedridden. After examination, I knew there was little chance of recovery for him due to the lack of initial medical intervention. When his son put him in a wheelchair, he could not help but cry. That cry haunted me for many years, urging me to do something to help those who were struggling in despair," said the doctor.
In 2005, Virginia learned about the US non-governmental organization HVO's need for physical therapists in Viet Nam. Without hesitation, she registered and made Da Nang her first destination. Not only did she volunteer without pay, but she and her husband also sold their house in the US, leaving behind a stable life to embark on a new journey in Viet Nam.
With the proceeds from selling their house, Virginia arrived in Da Nang and began working at local hospitals. She focused particularly on treating patients with traumatic brain injuries and strokes. By 2010, she officially joined the Da Nang Traditional Medicine Hospital, where she directly treated children with developmental delays, and patients with musculoskeletal pain, among others.
Dr. Nguyen Van Anh, Director of the Da NangTraditional Medicine Hospital, praised Virginia's contributions, noting that her support has significantly advanced the Rehabilitation unit. She helped organize the unit into clear treatment areas such as Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Speech Therapy, and Electrotherapy. Initially, the unit handled only a few treatments per day, but it has since grown to accommodate hundreds of treatments daily.
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| Virginia during a patient visit. (Photo: VTV) |
Former Director of the Da Nang Department of Health, Pham Hung Chien, said to Tuoi Tre newspaper: "In 2005, Virginia came to Da Nang and volunteered her services without pay, which surprised us. Although Viet Nam didn't require helmets at that time, she purchased over 3,000 helmets for medical staff across Da Nang city, using money from selling her house. We were completely convinced by her dedication. After observing her for ten years in a job that didn't provide any salary, I saw that she truly had a great open heart," Chien said.
In 2022, to honor her contributions, the Traditional Medicine Hospital commissioned architect Pham Van Hang to carve a bronze portrait of Virginia, which is now displayed in the hospital's traditional house.
In the 2024 VTV documentary "Where We Belong," Virginia Mary Lockett emotionally said: "Viet Nam is my home; this house is my home. I have never lived in a house as long as this one, nor in a city as long as Da Nang. We have friends here, and although we cannot speak Vietnamese, we still love and respect each other. I truly think I am Vietnamese and Viet Nam is my home."
Source: Vietnamtimes
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