From a "reckless" decision to a 20-year journey with Vietnam
Every morning, the image of "Western lady" Virginia Mary Lockett (born 1953, volunteer, physical therapy and rehabilitation specialist, American) riding her motorbike to Da Nang Traditional Medicine Hospital has become very familiar not only to doctors and nurses, but also to patients being treated here.
Her silent contributions have become an inspiration to many and a hope for thousands of trauma patients in need of rehabilitation.
Ms. Virginia Mary Lockett (right cover) received the Friendship Medal for her active contributions to protecting and caring for the health of the Vietnamese people, and Dr. Tran Nguyen Ngoc (left cover), Director of Da Nang Mental Hospital, was also awarded the Third Class Labor Medal.
The relationship between Mrs. Lockett and Vietnam began in 1995, when she and her husband went to Vietnam to adopt two children in Nha Trang.
During the procedure, she was asked to help a man who had been hit by a truck and had a broken femur and suffered a stroke that left him unable to walk. The image of the father crying because of his illness and his son crying with him remained in her mind for the next 10 years.
At the ceremony to celebrate the 70th anniversary of Vietnamese Doctors' Day and present the "Shining White Blouse" award in 2024 on February 25 organized by the People's Committee of Da Nang City, Secretary of the Da Nang City Party Committee Nguyen Van Quang, authorized by the President, awarded the Friendship Medal to Ms. Virginia Mary Lockett (born in 1953), volunteer, physical therapy and rehabilitation specialist. This is a worthy recognition for her tireless contributions over the past 20 years in Vietnam.
In 2005, Ms. Lockett looked for volunteer opportunities and was introduced to the Danang Orthopedic Trauma Center by the Overseas Medical Volunteer Organization (HVO). After 3 weeks of working, she realized that the experience that experts leave behind is often not applied much after they leave. Therefore, she came up with the idea of staying in Vietnam long term.
"I returned to the US and contacted the Vietnamese Ambassador in Washington DC, explaining that I wanted to help Vietnam in the field of physical therapy and rehabilitation with my professional experience," Ms. Lockett recalled.
The Ambassador advised her to find an organization to volunteer with, but when she found no suitable organization, she decided to found Steady Footsteps with her husband.
Her boldest decision was to sell her house in the US to have money to live and cover the costs of volunteer work in Vietnam. "Because my husband and I determined our will like that, there was only one choice, there was no second choice. If you have many choices, it will be more complicated, but if there is only one choice, it is simple," she explained.
Mrs. Lockett with a sick child.
The couple quickly completed the sale of their house and used a small portion of the proceeds to buy two one-way tickets to Vietnam. This bold decision changed their lives forever.
Help patients "walk steadily"
During her 20 years of volunteering in Da Nang, Ms. Lockett has treated thousands of patients with different conditions and conditions. Despite the language barrier, she has developed her own way of communicating and feeling the pain of her patients.
“I have treated thousands of patients, which means I have experienced a wide variety of situations,” Lockett said.
Understanding that the patient has factors such as unilateral paralysis, sensory disturbance, aphasia, and inability to express and understand what others say, she thoroughly investigates the issues before explaining to the patient and family about the condition and recovery possibilities.
"Western Mrs. Lockett" became a familiar face to patients at the Da Nang Traditional Medicine Hospital.
Ms. Lockett not only focuses on treatment, but also on how to help patients reintegrate into life. She has created a special rehabilitation room at the Da Nang Traditional Medicine Hospital, designed to resemble the real living environment of Vietnamese people.
Here, patients can practice daily tasks such as dressing, personal hygiene, cooking, sweeping, washing dishes, important stepping stones for them to return to normal life.
In addition to her professional work, Ms. Lockett also spends time after work sewing safety belts for patients, helping them avoid falls during treatment. "There are 24 hours in a day, I work at the Institute in the morning, and in the afternoon I sew at home. Sewing while listening to music is also fun and can help patients," she shared.
Her silent dedication was recognized with a bronze statue erected by the hospital's medical team on Vietnamese Doctors' Day 2021.
"I can't believe I'm getting a statue! I didn't think anyone would make a statue of me, this is the first time in my life. I'm so surprised and touched because the gift is so unexpected," she said emotionally.
Mrs. Lockett was recognized by the medical team of Da Nang Traditional Medicine Hospital with a bronze statue.
At 72, Ms. Lockett has three wishes: to be healthy enough to continue working, to continue doing her current job, and to live in Vietnam permanently until the end of her life. However, she also expressed concerns about visa and temporary residence issues when she is no longer healthy enough to do volunteer work.
"I really want to stay in Vietnam, Da Nang is really my home, not my second hometown anymore," Ms. Lockett confided.
The Medal of Friendship that Virginia Mary Lockett received is not only a recognition of her personal achievements, but also a testament to friendship between peoples, when love and kindness are not separated by borders, languages or cultures.
She has been and is a beautiful image of international spirit in the medical field, contributing significantly to improving the quality of health care for the people of Da Nang in particular and Vietnam in general.
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