Dr. Olav Bjørgaas of Norway came to Taiwan in 1954. At first he served in the island’s north, treating patients of Hansen’s disease (leprosy) at Losheng Sanatorium. He later moved to the south and actively sought and persuaded hiding or hidden patients to come to his ‘special dermatology clinic’ in Kaohsiung for treatment. Bjørgaas also noticed that many households of lesser means could not give proper medical care to their children who contracted tuberculosis. In response, he established a sanatorium in Pingtung to house these children at risk.

A poliomyelitis epidemic struck Taiwan in the 60s. Again, many infected children were locked home or left to crawl around without watch. Bjørgaas asked the parents to entrust their kids to his care. The polio children were housed at the tuberculosis sanatorium, which was later renamed Pingtung Christian Victory Home.

Bjørgaas’s deeds are delineated in this book in terms of his relationship with a girl, Nana, who had severe deformation caused by the poliovirus. The girl and her little wardmates called Bjørgaas ‘Papa B’, and they thought he could accomplish everything. Indeed, Papa B, through tenacity and hard-working, made treatment, orthopedics, and education available for them. With assistive devices, the polio children regained mobility to go to school and eventually work.

The illustrator, Tsai Chao-Lun, used simple strokes of ink and wash to capture the tenderness and innocence of the children, as well as their determined facial expressions. The children might have to live with crutches and assistive devices for life, but, thanks to Bjørgaas, they knew by persisting in the right things, they could walk toward the future on their own feet, and any complaint or envy would be pointless.