[FRIENDS OF KOREA] How one Peace Corps Volunteer helped deaf Koreans find their voice

On a chilly winter morning in 1969, a young woman from the Peace Corps made her way to a hospital in Seoul. She carried with her a childhood story about a train engine and the words, "I think I can, I think I can." Little did she know that this phrase would become the cornerstone of her mission to help deaf Koreans find their voice.

As the first Peace Corps volunteer with a background in speech therapy for the deaf, she had caught the attention of Kevin O Donnell, the Peace Corps Korea Director. Encouraged by his support, she embarked on her journey to bring hope to the deaf community in Korea. At that time, Korea lacked a speech pathology center, which presented both a challenge and an opportunity for her unique position.

Word of her specialized training spread quickly, and George Worth, a fellow American missionary in Korea, introduced her to key staff members at Seoul National University Hospital and Severance Hospital. Both hospitals expressed interest in establishing a speech and hearing program, but they needed to test the waters before fully committing. Thus, they welcomed her to return with a patient, giving her the chance to showcase her skills and dedication.

Confident in her abilities, she set out to audition for the speech and hearing center, ready to prove that she could make a difference in the lives of deaf Koreans.