Hallym University Sacred Heart Hospital

Hallym University Sacred Heart Hospital recently received encouraging messages and presents from two middle school students.

Last month, two students from Buan Middle School in Anyang city paid a visit to Hallym University Sacred Heart Hospital and delivered cheerful letters and gifts to medical staff. The students said, “We wanted to cheer up the hard-working frontline healthcare workers who fight against the coronavirus in stuffy protective suits, so we’ve saved our money.”

“I saw the medical personnel working so hard at the triage clinic with protective clothes on in this hot weather,” said Ji-yoon, one of the students who delivered the letters. “I felt very thankful to them for their commitment to combat the coronavirus, so I prepared a small gift and letter. I hope this would cheer them up a little bit, and I also wish to help others like them,” she added.

“I can’t imagine how difficult it would be for doctors and nurses to fight against COVID-19. We are just middle school students, but we also wanted to provide a little support. Thank you so much for your continued effort to eradicate the disease despite the fear and hardship, and also thank you for keeping Anyang city safe as well. I truly wish that coronavirus would disappear soon and things would get back to normal. We will cheer for you, so please keep up with your good work,” said Sharon, the another student.

Hallym University Sacred Heart Hospital is the only university hospital around Anyang, Uiwang, Gunpo, and Gwacheon city. It operates triage clinic with the negative-pressure facility as well as pediatric relief clinics for children under 18 who are vulnerable to infectious diseases. It also has been designated as one of public relief hospitals, which separates the movement paths and clinical space between general patients and pulmonary patients to support infection control of COVID-19.

The triage center operates 24 hours a day and 7 days a week with around 30 medical staff wearing Level D protection in three shifts, treating an average of about 150 patients a day.

One of the staff at the center said, “My fatigue melted away when I read their letters. I was so overwhelmed by their kind encouragement that I almost cried.”

”We at Hallym University Sacred Heart Hospital will keep treating patients and fighting coronavirus with every ounce of strength we have until the end of the outbreak,” said Director Kyung-ho Yu. “I am very thankful that the warmhearted letters and gifts truly raised the morale of the staff at our hospital,” he added.

Our staff here at Hallym University Sacred Heart Hospital would like to extend a sincere gratitude to various companies and institutions in the local community who generously donated restorative drinks, rice cakes and fruits to us.

By Chul Kwon, Int’l Cooperation Team, HUMC (chris@hallym.or.kr)