Sophie Pinkas with a patient

This photo was taken in the 1960s in the physiological ward of the Pediatrics Institute of the Medical Academy in Sofia, where I was appointed after my job in the nursery. Usually healthy children were taken care of in that ward. In most cases they had no parents, but there were also children with parents, who couldn't look after them and brought them to us where the conditions were very good. Once a child from Cameroon was brought to us. His name was Yum. He was brought by the Committee of Democratic Women in Bulgaria who knew some women from Cameroon living in hiding and not being able to look after their children. Since the child had no relatives, he lived only in the ward. I took care of his social life. I brought him home at lunch, on the weekends, and my husband and I took him on walks in Vitosha Mountain. Some of the children without parents were adopted by families without children, and those who had parents, were returned to their families. Even today I have many acquaintances and colleagues, whose children I have looked after.