The New York doctor had said, 'The tumour is malignant. You must have an immediate operation.' Though there was little hope it was Gunda Sjogren's strength and courage that fought through to recovery. Afterwards he said, 'If you had had one trace of fear you would not have survived. Who are you really?'
Yes, who was she? Just an ordinary Swedish girl. 'I come from Lapland. I used to go to school on skis,' was all she could say. But given back the unspeakable gift of life, Gunda Sjogren began to articulate who she was, her roots and origins in the forests of the north of Sweden.
Only fifty years back, the story of her childhood in the tiny community of Åbacka reads like the frontier days of the American West. The district was explored and settled by her ancestors in the nineteenth century. Through bitter winters and ceaseless summer toil they had to struggle for existence. But here too was a love of family, a love of the land, and a heart quality in these settlers that completely identified them with the native Lappish people.
Gunda tells the story with directness and candour. Going to the 'big city' she took domestic work in Stockholm, but was always looking for something big to live for. She found it in an unexpected way. ln the life task that she took up, the heritage from her home in Åbacka gave her inspiration and strength.
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