Ms. Jargalsaikhan Uuganbayar of Asan Medical International (AMI)
Dear readers, I am Jargalsaikhan Uuganbayar, a Mongolian Coordinator working at the International Healthcare Center of Asan Medical Center (AMC). My job is to offer assistance for facilitated communication between medical personnel and patients in outpatient consultations and wards, and I am mainly involved in sending replies to referrals, delivering treatment-related information, scheduling hospitalizations, and translating and reviewing promotional materials. I would like to share a story of Narankhuu, a leukemia patient I met while working here at AMC.
AMC, a helping hand during difficult times
A baby patient called Narankhuu was born in Korea in 2018. Narankhuu’s mother had him when she was working at the Mongolian Social Insurance Agency in Korea. Narankhuu had to spend the neonatal period in an incubator because he was a premature baby, born earlier than the scheduled date. Narankhuu seemed to have overcome a big crisis but suddenly became sick when he turned 3. He was told by a doctor at a local hospital nearby his place that he is likely to have developed leukemia. Although Narankhuu’s mother fell apart upon hearing the devastating news, she visited AMC immediately on receiving information regarding successful leukemia treatment outcomes of AMC.
Narankhuu was diagnosed with leukemia according to test results and was hospitalized. That was when I went into action. Narankhuu’s mother spoke a little bit of Korean, but the primary care physician determined that professional interpretation was needed. Thus, I handled the communication between the two. I translated and delivered the final diagnosis and chemotherapy plan and was heartbroken to see the patient’s mother being worried about how she could pay for the treatment. Fortunately, she was referred to the Social Service Team by the Division of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, and I helped her prepare the documents required to receive the subsidy.
Narankhuu was coping well with tough chemotherapy sessions and recovering quickly. However, unfortunately, he had to face another crisis. Additional subsidy was necessary because the relevant anticancer drug was not available at AMC and had to be ordered and purchased directly from the Korea Orphan & Essential Drug Center. After receiving a call for help from the patient’s mother, I contacted the Korean Association for Children with Leukemia and Cancer, prepared the paperwork, and was able to receive subsidy for the medicine. Narankhuu and his mother expressed a great gratitude to AMC for supporting them so that they can continue to receive quality treatment despite the financial difficulty they were in and standing by them so that they won’t give up.
Being a mom myself as well, I felt sad and heartbroken whenever I saw Narankhuu suffering from leukemia at such a young age and going through hardship. I am thankful and feel rewarded having been able to help the Mongolian family going through a difficult time, far away from home. Narankhuu is undergoing the 4th chemotherapy session now, and I heard that the treatment is going very well. Narankhuu’s family is sharing with the Mongolian community in Korea about how much they were moved by AMC.
Баярлалаа (Thank you) AMC!
Many Mongolian patients visit AMC through word-of-mouth by family members or friends saying they experienced positive treatment outcomes at AMC. Some also chose AMC because AMC had been recommended as the best hospital in Korea. I am proud to work at AMC which is a hospital trusted and visited by Mongolians. I am ready to put further efforts so that more Mongolian patients can regain their health at AMC and return home in good condition.
※ ‘Thank U, AMC’ features stories told by the members of the International Healthcare Center about memorable international patients.
