A jar containing a preserved heart stood in the office of the illustrious cardiac surgeon, academician Vladimir Almazov, at the First Medical Institute's clinic and all students knew the story behind it.
In the early 50s, when Almazov was a fourth-year student a young woman was admitted to the institute's clinic with subacute septic endocarditis. Today this disease has a high mortality rate, back then it was considered fatal. She was deemed a hopeless case. Her fever soared close to 40 degrees, and her heart was failing.
Leading professors examined her without much success, among the following interns there was one talented and attentive young man. No, he did not propose a revolutionary treatment for endocarditis, he simply fell in love with the girl.
He began visiting her room every day, bringing flowers. The girl, who was on the brink of death, fell in love with him too and slowly, began to recover. They got married, had children, and on their silver wedding anniversary, they invited the doctors who had once treated her.
Many years later, when she was nearing the end of her life, she instructed to donate her heart to the First Medical Institute. So that people would remember - sometimes an ill heart can only be healed by a loving one.
