FMT in partnership with The Global Institute For Tomorrow (GIFT) brings you Covid-19 “healers” from the Republic of Korea.

In March 2020, when Daegu was struck by an outbreak of Covid-19, a head nurse working at Kyungpook National University Chilgok Hospital received a gift box with letters from two women who had lost their children in the Sewol Ferry Disaster of 2014.

The box included hand creams to protect the medical staff’s hands from skin irritation from frequent use of strong disinfectants.

The letter said: “We deeply appreciate your hard work to save lives under this sudden outbreak. If you stand strong against this difficult time, the time will come when you sit around the table with your beloved family and be happy with them. Thank you so much for your dedication, your heart, and your helping hands.”

Seo Ji Hyun is the head nurse of Kyungpook National University Chilgok Hospital in Daegue. She served in the medical field for 26 years. At the height of the pandemic, she was on duty for 27 days straight and unable to go home to avoid infecting her family.

‘The Other Hundred Healers’ is an initiative by the non-profit organisation GIFT. The 240-page, full-colour, hardcover book can be purchased here at US$40 per copy for a minimum order of 20 copies.