Umechan Sensei of My Heart | Yuko Takeda, Dean of the Faculty of Nursing and Medical Care
2023.07.25
Are you familiar with *Umechan Sensei*? It was a highly-rated NHK morning drama that aired in 2012, more than a decade ago. Set in post-war Kamata, Tokyo, the story follows the heroine Umeko, a town doctor dedicated to community medicine. She was portrayed as a figure who stood by her family, friends, and local community, living with dedication and inspiring courage in others. The show was also part of the recovery support project for the Great East Japan Earthquake.
For me, my "Umechan Sensei" was my aunt, my mother's sister-in-law, who dedicated her life to being a female doctor. Whenever a family member felt unwell, she would always make a house call with her black bag. When I was in high school, my parents were living far away due to my father's job transfer, and my aunt rushed to my side when I developed an acute abdomen while I was out. How reassured I felt seeing her warm smile.
Despite her busy days as a doctor, my aunt cherished her family very much. During the New Year's holidays, a total of 15 people—including my grandparents and the families of her sisters-in-law—would spend the first three days of the year at her family home, and it was my aunt who single-handedly managed all the meals and lodging. Looking back now, I can only imagine how difficult it must have been, but at the time, I just looked forward to the delicious feasts and fun times with my cousins. Thanks to her, my cousins and I are still close today, and I am nothing but grateful.
I hadn't originally planned on a career in healthcare, but by a twist of fate, I ended up enrolling in a nursing program. On various occasions, my aunt would talk to me about the importance of nursing and offer me encouragement. My mother was a homemaker, so I believe that having my aunt, whom I respected as a role model of a working woman, be happy about my career and watch over me warmly was a major motivation for me to continue.
Regarding the show *Umechan Sensei* I mentioned at the beginning, there was no single real-life model. Instead, the script was reportedly based on the experiences of female doctors from the Kamata Medical Association who entered school around the same time as the heroine, with reference to materials from the Teikoku Women's Medical and Pharmaceutical College, the predecessor of Toho University's School of Medicine, Department of Medicine. The show's ending credits featured a segment titled "Our Town's Umechan Sensei," which showcased photos of practicing female doctors, and my aunt, who enthusiastically shared her own experiences and contributed greatly to the script, was featured in the very first "Our Town's Umechan Sensei" segment.
Without closing her clinic in Ota Ward, my aunt cared for the health of the local people until the very end, and this past February, she passed away. Whenever I recall her smile, I feel encouraged, and the phrase "bright and cheerful" warms my heart.