40 Years of Service to Hansen's Disease Patients Without Rest
Returned Home in 2005 After Leaving a Letter Due to Health Decline
Margaret Pisarek, known as the "Angel of Sorokdo" for her over 40 years of service to Hansen's disease patients on Sorokdo Island, passed away at the age of 88.
On the 30th, Father Kim Yeon-jun of the Catholic Archdiocese of Gwangju announced, "Nurse Margaret Pisarek died of acute heart failure at 3:15 p.m. on the 29th (local time) at a hospital in Innsbruck, Austria." It is reported that she passed away while undergoing surgery after recently fracturing her femur due to a fall.
Pisarek, an Austrian of Polish descent, was dispatched to Sorokdo in Goheung County, Jeollanam-do through the relief organization Damian Foundation after graduating from the nursing school in Innsbruck. Even after her official dispatch period ended, she stayed on Sorokdo with nurse Marianne St?ger (89) as a volunteer, caring for Hansen's disease patients.
The Korean government recognized Pisarek and St?ger for their long years of unpaid dedication to nursing and improving the welfare of Hansen's disease patients by awarding them the Order of Civil Merit in 1972, the Presidential Citation in 1983, and the Order of Civil Merit, Moran Medal in 1996.
Later, as their health deteriorated, they left a letter saying, "We do not want to be a burden to people," and returned to Austria in November 2005.
The National Sorokdo Hospital named the house where they lived the "Marianne St?ger and Margaret Pisarek House." St?ger's Korean name is Go Ji-seon, and Pisarek's is Baek Su-seon.
In 2016, as part of the 100th anniversary project of the National Sorokdo Hospital, efforts were made to nominate them for the Nobel Peace Prize and arrange their visit to Korea. However, due to health reasons, only St?ger visited Sorokdo. They were selected as Honorary Citizens of the Republic of Korea in 2016 and are also honorary members of the Korean Nurses Association.
Marianne St?ger in her youth (left) and Nurse Margaret Pisarek [Image source=Provided by the Catholic Bishops' Conference]
At that time, Father Kim, who was the parish priest of Sorokdo Cathedral, established the "Marianne and Margaret Foundation," and jointly promoted the production of the documentary film "Marianne and Margaret" (directed by Yoon Se-young) and their Nobel Peace Prize nomination.
Margaret lived in a nursing home in Austria after returning and began experiencing short-term dementia symptoms about 4 to 5 years ago. However, it is known that she clearly remembered her life and the people on Sorokdo.
Father Kim said, "The board members of the Marianne and Margaret Foundation visited Austria to offer holiday greetings and received the news of Margaret's passing," adding, "The deceased had expressed her wish to donate her body to a university for anatomical study, so funeral arrangements have not been finalized."
He continued, "Her colleague Marianne expressed regret that Margaret passed away early but also said she was envious that Margaret was able to be closer to God."
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