The trailblazing Sanna Dahl (1915-2011) was one of the first Faroese women to earn a medical degree. Her life is in many ways symbolic of the progress in Faroese society throughout the past century.

Her childhood years in Vági, her youth in Torshavn, her university years in Copenhagen, and her working years in the Faroes demonstrate how circumstances have gradually improved for Faroese people when it comes to culture, gender norms, education, transportation network, health care, and technology.  

At the same time, the story about Sanna is a story about the determination to achieve one’s ambitions despite poor circumstances. Sanna was born during World War I and became a doctor during World War II. During the Cold War, she specialised in radiology, and as the first Faroese radiologist, her contributions played a pivotal role in shaping the Faroese hospital system that we still benefit from today.

This book about Sanna is full of personal accounts, stories about tense situations abroad during World War II and about rough trips with the ambulance boat in the Northern Islands.

The book is based on conversations and extensive letter correspondence that Sanna had with her family and friends.