No, I'm not talking about the 1980s British glam rock band
Doctor and the Medics (for those of you who remember it!). I'm talking about an incredible young woman who is studying medicine and serves as a medic in the IDF (Israel Defence Forces). She was soon to turn 30, so her mum asked me to create a special card to mark this milestone birthday.
She has done days upon days of
miluim (the Hebrew term for military reserve duty) since 7th October 2023. Her mum wanted the card to capture something of this remarkable combination: her dedication to medicine and her role as a medic.
Mum sent me a wonderful photo of our medic, standing in a yoga-inspired one-legged pose. Behind her was a landscape of rubble and debris, marked by the devastation of war.
I carefully recreated her pose in paper, paying close attention to every detail of her uniform, ballistic vest and weapon. I also added a stethoscope in her hand and her hospital badge pinned to the vest. I've blacked out her personal details for obvious reasons.
Finally, rather than placing her in the war-torn landscape, I have shown her, according to mum's request, in a modern hospital room. The bed has an IV stand beside it, with two hanging IV bags and tubing. Our medic looks incongruous against the clean, calm hospital-ward appearance!
Mum also asked me to include some balloons and hearts on the card, along with a big 30, adding a little touch of colour and cheer to the otherwise rather unusual scene.
3 comments:
I don't know your young friend, of course, but I do remember overworked, underpaid and committed junior residents from Tel Hashomer Hospital. We lived on shikun harofim back then, with wonderful neighbours.
There is something inherently sad about seeing the image of a young medic with both a stethoscope and an automatic weapon. We humans just never stop killing, maiming and abusing each other, do we?
@David M. Gascoigne, sadly, that is the reality of life in Israel. Our medics have to be prepared to save lives while also being ready to defend themselves and others. It is not how things should be, but it is what we have to do to protect ourselves and the people around us.
Post a Comment