A woman renowned for her lifelong dedication to volunteerism has fulfilled her final wish, donating her body to medical science. The late Gong Do-yeon, who was affectionately known as the ‘Queen of Volunteering’ in Uiryeong County, South Gyeongsang Province, has been laid to rest alongside her husband three years after her passing. Her final act of service, a body donation, ensures her legacy of altruism continues to benefit others.
A Life of Service and Sacrifice
Gong Do-yeon, who passed away at the age of 82 in September 2023, and her late husband, Park Hyo-jin, who died in April 2022, both made arrangements to donate their bodies to the Gyeongsang National University College of Medicine. This decision was driven by their shared desire to contribute to medical advancement, even after their lives had ended. Their remains were cremated and interred together at the Anlak Park in Jinju City on the 14th of the previous month.
For three years, the couple’s bodies served as invaluable resources for medical students’ anatomical studies and clinical research conducted by faculty members. Their remains were utilized until the end of last month, embodying their commitment to giving back.
The couple’s enduring legacy is further honored by their ashes being enshrined at the Gyeongsang National University College of Medicine’s Hall of Life Reverence, a place they have been a part of for 30 years. This permanent installation symbolizes the profound impact of their decision.
From Poverty to Philanthropy
Gong Do-yeon’s remarkable journey of volunteerism, spanning over 50 years, began from a place of profound hardship. She started her married life at the age of 17 in a one-room dwelling, a period so impoverished that she relied on neighbors for meals. To make ends meet, she worked as a farmhand and a shoe-shiner during the day, and as a laundress at night, enduring immense struggle to build a life.
It wasn’t until her thirties, when her financial situation improved, that she was able to fully dedicate herself to helping others. In the early 1970s, during the height of the Saemaul Undong (New Village Movement), she took on the role of head of the village’s women’s association. She led efforts to increase village income by encouraging a ‘rice-saving’ campaign, urging residents to economize on rice consumption. She even used her own funds to contribute to village infrastructure projects, such as installing clean water systems and improving housing conditions.
In recognition of her unwavering commitment and generosity, the villagers erected a statue titled ‘Mother of Love’ in her honor at Songsan Elementary School in 1976. Her dedication continued to grow; in 1985, she played a pivotal role in establishing the Songsan Public Health Center by personally purchasing 225 square meters of land and donating it to the county, addressing the critical lack of medical facilities for local residents.
A Lifetime of Giving
Throughout her life, Gong Do-yeon consistently provided scholarships to students from underprivileged backgrounds and made regular donations to religious organizations and relief efforts for the poor, all funded from her own resources. The cumulative amount of her personal contributions over the years is immeasurable.
Beyond financial aid, she actively participated in volunteer work for the elderly. Each year, she would personally cook rice cakes using rice she had grown to serve at senior welfare facilities. She also donated the proceeds from selling waste materials and empty bottles to elderly centers.
Even in her advanced age, weighing just 35 kilograms, she would pull a rickshaw to sell vegetables and dried anchovies, donating the earnings to help those less fortunate. Her extraordinary life of service earned her over 60 commendations from various government administrations, from former President Park Chung-hee to former President Moon Jae-in.
In 2020, she was awarded the Presidential Medal of the Order of Civil Merit, one of South Korea’s highest civilian honors, recognizing her significant contributions to public welfare and national development across political, economic, social, educational, and academic fields. She further demonstrated her commitment by adding 500,000 won of her own money to the 500,000 won prize money, donating the entire sum back to the community.
A Philosophy of Empathy
Gong Do-yeon had decided on posthumous body donation long before her passing. Her personal diaries, which chronicle her lifelong dedication, reveal a profound philosophy rooted in empathy. One poignant entry reads: “Those who have never experienced poverty cannot understand the pain and hardship of being poor. I want to help my neighbors so they do not feel the sting of being less fortunate than I am.”
When news of her passing eventually reached the villagers three years later, they mourned her deeply, calling her a true angel who had gone to heaven. Oh Tae-wan, the head of Uiryeong County, remarked, “Gong Do-yeon was someone who lived her life through sharing and completed it with volunteerism. Her unwavering love for her neighbors is a true example of service that our society must remember for a long time. We, along with the citizens of Uiryeong, will cherish her spirit forever.”
The couple’s final act of donating their bodies to medical science is a powerful testament to their lifelong commitment to serving humanity, ensuring that their generosity and spirit of giving will continue to impact lives for generations to come.
