One-way ticket to Vietnam for an American female doctor

(Dan Tri) - In nearly 20 years in Vietnam, Ms. Virginia Mary Lockett has helped thousands of Vietnamese patients. The American female doctor, who is part of the Da Nang Traditional Medicine Hospital, has trained many generations of neurorehabilitation specialists.

A trip to Vietnam and a lifelong commitment to stay

Every morning, "Western lady" Virginia Mary Lockett (American nationality) rides her motorbike more than 9km to Da Nang Traditional Medicine Hospital to start a working day.

In the hospital’s rehabilitation room, the 73-year-old physical therapist bends over and guides each patient through exercises and body control. Virginia often brings along belts she sewed herself to give to patients.

Ms. Virginia examines patients at Da Nang Traditional Medicine Hospital (Photo: Character provided).

At the hospital, there is a bronze statue of Mrs. Virginia, to honor the "Western lady's" silent contributions in the field of physical therapy.

“I am happy to see the skills of doctors and specialists in Vietnam improving day by day,” said Ms. Virginia.

Previously, while still in the US, Mrs. Virginia started her career as a physical therapist. The stable job helped her and her husband have a comfortable life. Then, they decided to go abroad to adopt a child.

In 1995, during a visit to Vietnam to complete the procedures to adopt a child, she discovered that the health care system was still quite inadequate. She noticed many cases of broken femurs and patients with sequelae of cerebrovascular accidents were not being treated properly.

Portrait of Mrs. Virginia at Da Nang Traditional Medicine Hospital (Photo: Provided by the character).

Carrying those thoughts and concerns back to America, Ms. Virginia finally decided to quit her stable job, come to Vietnam, and stay in this poor and difficult country.

In 2005, through the call of HVO (Health Volunteer Overseas), she registered to volunteer at the Danang Orthopedic and Rehabilitation Hospital for 3 weeks. This experience made her realize that short-term volunteer trips are difficult to create sustainable changes in the field of physical therapy - rehabilitation.

Therefore, she and her husband decided to establish the non-profit organization Steady Footsteps to support rehabilitation for people with disabilities, creating connections to help them return to normal life.

“I sold my house in the US to cover living expenses in Vietnam. Many people think it is a crazy decision, but it is the right decision for us, when we really want to dedicate ourselves to the job we have chosen,” Ms. Virginia shared.

"Western Lady" statue cast at traditional Vietnamese hospital

In 2010, Virginia became a physical therapist at the Da Nang Traditional Medicine Hospital. Here, she directly treated patients and guided the team of doctors and specialists to establish systematic rehabilitation programs. This contributed to creating an effective rehabilitation ecosystem for patients with post-accident sequelae in the region.

Ms. Virginia was awarded the "Dedication to Da Nang" award by the City People's Committee in March this year (Photo: Provided by the character).

Ms. Virginia has also been invited to teach many physical therapist training courses. With more than 30 years of experience in the US and 20 years in Vietnam, she has contributed to improving the professional capacity of many generations of professionals.

Gradually, the quality of rehabilitation treatment for patients with sequelae of cerebrovascular accidents, traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries and patients with musculoskeletal diseases has improved significantly. Many of them have reintegrated into the community after treatment.

Her greatest joy is to see young therapists mature and become capable of helping patients recover. There are patients who have been bedridden in the hospital for decades, but thanks to the development of therapy methods, they are now able to walk on their own.

“The most typical example is a patient with a spinal cord injury who, for the first time in 12 years, was able to walk without a walker. Another patient who had been paralyzed in both legs for 8 years was able to move from bed to wheelchair without his mother holding him. The moment I witnessed the patients and their families bursting with happiness, I also felt very emotional.

Besides, I really admire the Vietnamese therapists who have accompanied me. They were all chosen based on their heart, openness and sense of responsibility,” said Virginia.

Sharing about the job she has been involved in for more than 50 years, Ms. Virginia concluded that those who choose to pursue this career must do so out of a desire to help others overcome pain and illness.

Ms. Virginia Mary Lockett was also honored to receive the Friendship Medal awarded by the President (Photo: Character provided).

Not only that, she affirmed that when pursuing a medical career, one must determine that studying only provides a theoretical foundation, while skills need to be practiced throughout life. After long years in the classroom, Ms. Virginia affirmed that a doctor only begins to truly learn when entering the hospital and directly interacting with patients.

Despite the hard nature of her work, Virginia said that the recovery of her patients is one of the motivations to continue her passion for treating and saving people.

She is currently advocating for more policies that create long-term internship programs to build the capacity of neurorehabilitation specialists.

“Therapists need a supportive health system that encourages individualized treatment rather than imposing a one-size-fits-all approach,” Virginia passionately argued.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/lao-dong-viec-lam/tam-ve-mot-chieu-den-viet-nam-cua-nu-bac-si-my-20250904133416900.htm