"Senator Catherine Tisch?"
Dr. Foster stammered in bewilderment.
"Yes. I believe I have the right to speak here, because I am a direct witness to Dr. Kang."
Catherine gave Taeho a warm smile. Then she slowly looked around at the committee members. Unlike when she had looked at Taeho, her expression was cold.
"And as a member of the Tisch family, I am also one of this hospital’s major patrons."
The Tisch family had long been the largest donor to Mount Sinai Hospital. Major facilities and research centers within the hospital bore the family name, and they were currently among the highest decision-makers in the Mount Sinai Health System.
"Did you say you would refer Dr. Kang to the prosecutor’s office? A doctor who saved lives?"
Dr. Foster hesitated before speaking.
"Senator, the law is the law."
"What matters more than the law is justice."
Catherine’s voice was firm. She possessed a certain dignity that others could not dare challenge.
"The moment I leave this room, I will speak directly to the New York State Attorney General and the Governor. I will tell them that Dr. Kang is not a criminal by any measure, but a hero who saved two noble lives from death."
There was no one in the room bold enough to refute Catherine’s words.
"At dawn today, Dr. Kang saved a young man whose life was hanging by a thread. When he acted, what do you think he wanted? Money? Honor? If anything, he must have known that his actions would put him in danger. He is no fool."
Catherine put strength into her voice.
"In that moment, the only thing he wished for was the patient’s life. The reason our Tisch family has donated enormous sums to Mount Sinai for so long was so that we could be treated by doctors like him."
Catherine was overwhelming not only the ethics committee members seated there, but even the doctors.
"Just one hour ago, he saved my granddaughter, who had collapsed from a rare disease called GIFA. Even though he must have been under the pressure of knowing that an ethics committee meeting would soon be held, he did not hesitate in front of a patient."
Catherine briefly composed her swelling emotions.
"Even knowing that his career might come to an end, he did not hesitate for even a single moment. Today, with my own eyes, I saw the most doctor-like doctor anyone could hope for. Let me ask you all this. What is it that we truly need? Doctors who blindly follow regulations, or doctors who risk everything they have for the sake of life?"
"I..."
Dr. Jensen tried to speak, but Catherine raised a hand and stopped him.
"I have dealt with healthcare policy for thirty years. Medical ethics regulations change countless times according to the era and the circumstances. The truth that does not change is that no regulation can take precedence over life. Doctors like Dr. Kang are precisely the true talent this hospital and society need. We should be giving him an award, not punishment."
Catherine drove the point home with unshakable finality.
For a long while, the ethics committee members sat with their mouths open, unable to move.
"After a brief period of discussion, we will reach a conclusion."
Having collected himself, Dr. Foster quickly settled the situation.
All the doctors involved went outside and waited in the waiting room.
The ethics committee held a long discussion.
At last, Dr. Foster called everyone back in and announced the result.
"The ethics committee has made the following final decision. There were certainly procedural issues in Dr. Kang Taeho’s actions, but his exceptional judgment and dedication to his patients cannot be denied. Considering that both cases resulted in lives being saved, we have concluded that his actions cannot be dismissed simply as violations of regulations."
Catherine nodded with a satisfied smile. Since the hospital ethics committee had reached a favorable decision, it would be far easier to bring the prosecutor’s investigation to a positive conclusion as well.
"Therefore, instead of issuing an official disciplinary action against Dr. Kang, we have decided as follows. Mount Sinai Hospital will confer upon Dr. Kang Taeho the Special Contribution Award for Respect for Life, and both cases will be used as educational material in emergency medicine. In addition, we will appoint Dr. Kang as an international cooperation consultant and invite him to participate in remote consultations and education."
Once the decision was made, thunderous applause rang through the conference room.
Dr. Chen and Department Chief Lee Junbeom both clapped fiercely.
Dr. Kim looked as though he had found some answers to his confused questions, but Dr. Johnson looked as if he had bitten into a bug.
Taeho felt his chest tighten. It was because of the memories of the past, when he had received excessive punishment in a similar situation. This incident was the first time his sincerity, his will to save patients, had been acknowledged.
After the meeting ended, Catherine approached Taeho and took his hand. Her hand was warm, and surprisingly soft.
"Thank you, Senator Tisch."
"Call me Catherine."
"Yes, Catherine. Thank you."
"Dr. Kang, the one who should be grateful isn’t you, but me. Thanks to you, my granddaughter Emily is alive."
Catherine’s eyes were filled with sincere gratitude and affection.
"Dr. Kang. Because there are doctors like you, the world becomes a little safer and warmer. Before you return to Korea, have dinner with us at my home. My entire family will sincerely welcome you. Emily’s parents, especially, are making quite the fuss about wanting to see you immediately."
"Thank you very much, Catherine."
At Catherine’s warm words, Taeho felt deep gratitude in his heart.
Soon, Department Chief Lee Junbeom approached and firmly grasped Taeho’s hand. Perhaps he had cried when the results were announced, because there was moisture around his eyes.
"Dr. Kang, thank you so much. Even after you return to Korea, please stay in touch. We will never forget how great a benefactor you are to us."
"I will, Professor Lee."
Taeho clasped Lee Junbeom’s hand in return and nodded.
Then Dr. Chen reached out with a bright smile and lightly patted Taeho on the shoulder.
"Congratulations, Dr. Kang. You are now an honorary member of the Mount Sinai Hospital family. I look forward to working with you in the future."
"Thank you, Dr. Chen."
After that, greetings from Dr. Kim and Dr. Patel followed one after another.
Since becoming a doctor, this was the day Taeho had received the most support and gratitude from other doctors.
Two days later, Taeho arrived at Incheon Airport. In his bag were the Special Contribution Award for Respect for Life and the appointment certificate as an international cooperation consultant that he had received from Mount Sinai Hospital.
Before leaving, he had also confirmed that Lee Junho could carry on a normal conversation, and he had eaten dinner with Catherine at the Tisch family’s grand mansion. Emily, in particular, refused to leave Taeho’s lap throughout the entire dinner.
Rema also gave him a fairly large reward.
-Kang Taeho has applied MRgFUS to SSPE for the first time and proved the possibility of treatment.
-Reward: +120 coins
-Kang Taeho used quick thinking in a non-medical environment to provide emergency treatment for GIFA.
-Reward: +60 coins
-Kang Taeho’s cases will be registered in the Rema medical database.
-Special Reward: +300 coins
-Current: 1,802 coins
***
Good things happened one after another.
Not long after returning to Korea, he received a call from Attorney Cha Sujin.
-Director, I’m calling because I have good news!
"What news?"
-The Legal Aid Corporation has decided to fully support our case. All seventeen patients will receive full support for their litigation costs.
Taeho rose from his seat. He had been worrying that the patients might give up on the lawsuit because of the financial burden.
"Really? Then the patients won’t have to pay any separate costs?"
-Yes, that’s right. The filing fees, service fees, and appraisal fees will all be covered by the corporation. And on top of that...
Cha Sujin paused briefly, then continued in an even more excited voice.
-The Ministry of Environment is also showing interest in our case. They said the legal team supporting environmental pollution damage lawsuits is reviewing additional support.
"Wow, the response is even better than expected."
-The medical records and environmental inspection records you prepared were decisive, Director.
"I’ll inform the patients myself."
-Director.
Cha Sujin hesitated for a moment before continuing.
-Most doctors don’t readily step forward on social issues like this. Thanks to you, Director, seventeen patients have been able to hold on to hope. What I want to say is, Director, thank you so much.
"I only did what was natural. You’re the one going through all the trouble, Attorney."
-I’ll contact you again.
The number of confirmed heavy metal poisoning patients so far was seventeen. That number could increase in the future. But if they won the lawsuit, it seemed they would be able to treat the village patients without worrying about money.
Taeho thought that he now had to begin developing the treatment in earnest at the research institute.
***
The Geumsan Elementary School branch building, which had been no better than ruins just a few months ago, had been transformed into a research institute.
A sign reading “Geumsan Medical Research Institute” had been erected in front of the main gate.
Taeho stood before the newly renovated gate and took a brief breath. He recalled the memories of being driven down here as if chased, and the difficult times he had endured.
In particular, the lawsuit Attorney Cha Sujin was handling was fortunately progressing quickly, as the Samcheok City side had acknowledged partial responsibility for management in the first mediation. There was even a possibility that the result would be better than expected.
Nurse Park Geumja wrinkled her nose with emotion. Her eyes were brimming with tears, as though she might burst into sobs at any moment.
"Director, I really never thought a day like this would come."
"Oh, come on, unni. You’re overdoing it."
Nursing assistant Park Yeonji nudged Park Geumja in the side and whispered.
"So this here’s a research institute?"
"Never seen anything like this before..."
The invited local residents looked around the research institute with wonder.
Behind them, a white Porsche crossed the institute parking lot and came to a stop, and Oh Jiwon, dressed in a suit, got out of the car.
"Sunbae! Congratulations."
Oh Jiwon approached with a smile and handed him a congratulatory flower wreath.
Soon after, Chief of Surgery Yu Sihyeok and the medical staff from Samcheok Medical Center arrived, and Gwak Byeongdae, head of the architecture division at Samcheok City, also approached with a smile.
"Congratulations, Director Kang."
Taeho guided the visitors inside the research institute.
At 11:30 a.m., the opening ceremony began in the main auditorium on the first floor. The two-hundred-seat auditorium was filled with guests and residents.
Taeho stepped up to the podium.
"Hello. I am Kang Taeho, director of the Geumsan Medical Research Institute. Thanks to the help of the residents of Geumsan-ri and many others, we are able to open the Geumsan Medical Research Institute today. There have been difficulties along the way, but through that process, I realized something. True medicine is not practiced only inside hospital buildings. It is completed only when we stand by patients’ sides and work together with the residents."
"Somethin’ good’s finally come back to this village. And he says he’ll do all that!"
"Ain’t Director of Geumsan Clinic the best for thinkin’ of us like this?"
"He’s a truly important man, he is."
"That’s right, that’s right."
The applause of the moved residents filled the auditorium.
"Our first core project is the development of a treatment for heavy metal detoxification. Our goal is to minimize side effects and maximize therapeutic effectiveness."
Taeho introduced the research team and explained the institute’s vision. When he introduced the researchers, including Park Sehui, Lee Dongjin, and Jeong Minsu, the residents welcomed them enthusiastically.
After the opening ceremony ended, he had a meal with Oh Jiwon, who had come from far away, the guests, the research institute members, and the Geumsan Clinic staff. They had reserved the entire restaurant, so they were able to converse leisurely in a comfortable atmosphere.
While he was in the middle of eating, his phone rang.
Taeho’s face stiffened when he checked the screen.
Oh Jiwon, who was beside him, was the first to notice.
"Who is it, sunbae?"
"Just a moment..."
Taeho gestured for Oh Jiwon to wait, then went outside and answered the phone.
"Hello?"
For a moment, silence flowed from the other end of the line.
An awkward silence.
-It’s been a while, Taeho. You haven’t forgotten my voice, have you?
The person calling was none other than Kim Haseong, the man who had pinned everything on Taeho at Seyoung Seoul Hospital.