The Samsin from Down Under and their Korean Doban

It all started with an innocent question. I had just asked Barbara if there was anyone in particular who had left a lasting impression on her during her three decades at Ilsin. Without hesitation, she said 'the whole Korean people'. She expressed her deepest gratitude to the Koreans for allowing Australian missionaries to work alongside them and for their willingness to cooperate.

Barbara's response only added fuel to the fire. Only a few months earlier, I had successfully published  The Tale of Three Australian Granny Samsin  which explored the story of Helen, Cath, and Barbara and their contribution to maternal and neonatal healthcare in Busan, and I began a research with a wonderful colleague in Western Australia about  Australia's major Colombo Plan project to Korea during the 1970s involving 2,500 sheep and two Kelpies . These projects enlightened me to the close cooperation between Koreans and Australians, fostering people-to-people relationship. However, existing research mostly highlighted the Australian account - whether concerning the Australian missionaries or the sheep farm project - and its role as the benefactor. It seemed to me that there was a crucial piece missing. Or, one might say, a neglected other side to the story.

So with Barbara's support (and blessings), I reopened my notepad on Ilsin Women's Hospital, the journal I believed I had finished with the research on my three Granny Samsin. I thought the timing was right to fill in the gaps and, after much thought, I named it the 'Story of Doban'.

Note: unlike the earlier  Samsin  , the Doban story below contains the author's personal anecdotes and reflections. They are written in italics to distinguish them from the rest of the story.

Unexpectedly, the research on the history of Ilsin Women's Hospital unfolded in two chapters. The first part, entitled " The tale of three Australian Granny Samsin " serves as the foundation of the current project. It explores the life and work of three Australian female medical missionaries - Dr Helen and Sister Catherine Mackenzie, and Dr Barbara Martin - whom I consider the heart and soul of Ilsin Women's Hospital.

So who is Granny Samsin?

Samsin halmeoni (granny Samsin), a popular household deity in Korean mythology, is the goddess of childbirth. She oversees every single step from pregnancy to the safe birth of babies, as well as their upbringing and the well-being of their families. According to tradition, each and every one of us is born with her blessing.

Like Samsin halmeoni, Helen, Cath and Barbara helped bring many new lives into the world safely and cared for their mothers. They also ensured the continuation of quality medicine by systematically training midwives and resident doctors to spread good obstetric and midwifery practices as widely as possible. Their contribution was a rare combination of clinical, academic, social and humanitarian action, all grounded in their Christian faith.

Samsin came to my mind in the early stages of the research. Whimsical as it may sound, the more I read about these women, the more I found myself relating them to Samsin halmeoni - bustling from patient to patient in a crowded hospital in Busan dressed in a white coat. I loved the idea of three Granny Samsin coming all the way from Down Under to look after Korean mothers and their babies, which, in a strange twist of fate, also included my own mother and baby sister.

Surely Helen, Cath, and Barbara never intended to play goddesses. However, the idea of ethereal Korean and earthy Australian grannies working together to bring new life into this world safely became a perfect inspiration that motivated me to the end. That is until I realised that I had only looked into one side of the story.

Doban (도반 道伴) is a word of Buddhist origin. It refers to a spiritual companion who walks the path to enlightenment together. In their spiritual journey, Doban not only share Buddha's teachings and insights, but also offer each other support, fellowship and companionship.

The term is now widely used in Korea with less of a religious connotation. It implies a strong bond of camaraderie, marked by mutual support and shared experiences, especially as the companions travel together in pursuit of a common goal. As a result, Doban embodies an egalitarian spirit in which no individual is considered superior or inferior to another.

The Korean staff at Ilsin were precisely that, the Australian Samsin's unflagging Doban. They all arrived at Ilsin with their unique background, values and talents. Once the Koreans chose to walk with the Australians, they brought forth pure determination and effort to improve maternal and neonatal healthcare in Korea, despite the challenges and obstacles imposed by reality. Over time, they emerged as the go-to experts in their area of expertise, and the hospital evolved into a national reference center for Obstetrics.

Yet, these achievements were only made possible because they stood together against the test of time. The Australians and Koreans were true Doban, striving towards a brighter future in tandem. Together, they supported each other through the highs and lows, learnt to manage expectations, and set aside differences for the greater good. Sometimes, even when all they had was mere hope, they never failed to encourage each other - even if it meant offering a silent prayer from the administration office for the success of the medical team in completing a complex operation. And they never forgot to acknowledge each other for their sacrifices in whatever chances they had.

Just as it is unthinkable to talk about Ilsin without Samsin, it is not possible to talk about Samsin without Doban. Because they were fellows united by a single dream. And this is their story.

There were many people whose stories I had hoped to include in this project. However, I have chosen to focus on a select group of medical and administrative staff whose stories are well documented or from whom I have had the privilege of meeting, interviewing and collecting first-hand accounts.

In terms of timeline, I have focused on Ilsin's first 25 years, roughly coinciding with the transfer of the hospital to Korean ownership, the retirement of Helen and Cath, and their departure from Korea. During this formative period, Australians and Koreans developed a close, almost symbiotic relationship, characterised by an unparalleled level of cooperation and collaboration, which naturally facilitated Ilsin's exponential growth in the years that followed.

Here are their stories, divided into three groups: doctors, nurse-midwives and support staff.

Operating a hospital is a challenging task, even in modern times. Despite the cost, however, hospitals can now purchase whatever is necessary to equip themselves. Yet when Ilsin humbly opened its doors in a crowded refugee city in 1952, before the armistice between the two Koreas, none of what is now considered essential was available. There were no vacuum cleaners or ultraviolet disinfectants, no washing machines or tumble dryers, no industrial-sized fridges or freezers, or engineered birthing beds or cots. Everything relied on manual effort.

These are the accounts of some of the support staff members; people who quietly worked behind the scenes providing invaluable assistance to the medical team. The ones who were often positioned at the rear of the group photo and whose stories were rarely sought.

This work, just like its  predecessor , was only made possible thanks to the generous and continuous support from the Australia-Korea Foundation of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Thank you once again for believing in my ability to tell underappreciated aspects of the Australia-Korea relationship.