Doctor's Compassion Drives Her to Treat Patients 8,000 Miles Away in San Diego County
(FOX 5/KUSI) — Dr. Hyun Kim, a gastroenterologist working at Palomar Health in Poway, has spent her career assisting others, not only in her local community but also internationally.
Initially aiming to become a classical pianist, Dr. Kim's journey took a different turn after her family relocated from Seoul, South Korea, to the United States during the 1970s.
She embarked on a medical profession and ultimately established a charitable group that gathers resources for healthcare and education materials in a distant region.
"I genuinely wished to assist others; I believed it was my vocation," stated Dr. Kim, who previously resided in Los Angeles prior to relocating to San Diego County.
Eventually, during a journey to Chile alongside her peers, she discovered another vocation. It was there that she encountered Ming Ma, a Sherpa hailing from Nepal.
When he discovered that we were doctors and nurses, he told us to come assist them in Nepal," Dr. Kim remembered. "I agreed without giving it much thought.
In 2016, following the death of her father, Dr. Kim's resolve to assist others grew stronger, prompting her to find novel methods of making an impact. As a result, she founded the Kim Volunteer Foundation.
In 2019, Dr. Kim along with her team began their initial expedition to Nepal, undertaking a difficult voyage involving extensive treks and air travel to arrive at the Hillary Hospital, situated at an altitude of 13,000 feet—the highest hospital globally.
The hospital is named in honor of Sir Edmund Hillary, who, alongside Sherpa Tenzing Norgay, became the first individuals to reach the peak of Mount Everest.
In May, Dr. Kim along with her team will head to the hospital to carry out gastrointestinal procedures for local patients.
The initiative started by Dr. Kim seeks to enhance the facilities at the hospital through fundraising efforts aimed at amassing $500,000 for updating medical devices.
She believes that their efforts, combined with fresh supplies, should tackle prevalent health problems like stomach cancer and intestinal parasites.
Even though Dr. Kim frequently travels close to 8,000 miles to the Himalayas for work at Hillary Hospital, she was quick to dismiss rumors about aspiring to climb Mount Everest herself when questioned. With a laugh, she stated, "No...I'm not quite that insane."
All information in this piece was collected by FOX 5/KUSI reporters. The conversion of this content was aided by artificial intelligence. It has undergone editing and approval. FOX 5/KUSI staff.
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