One of the greatest privileges of my job as a physician, is getting to take of elderly patients from the Greatest Generation. There are many still with us, although their numbers are dwindling fast. That World War 2 era was of the most turbulent and devastating of human history. In the United Kingdom, I remember sitting captivated and also horrified, as I would hear stories of what it was like to live during the Blitz. Knowing that enemy planes were actively trying to drop bombs on you and kill you, as you sat quietly with your family in a bunker, is a feeling I could not even imagine. Then there’s the many patients I’ve had who were actually on the battlefield, hearing stories from the heroes who landed on Normandy Beach or fought in the Pacific. And even post World War 2, the ensuing few decades were not exactly full of peace and prosperity.

Last week I went into the room of a wonderful ninety-something year old patient, who greeted me with a slight German accent. Upon hearing my accent, he told me that he knew the United Kingdom really well, including the area where I went to medical school. Turns out that he was one of a few lucky Jewish German children who were part of a program known as Kindertransport. Prior to the outbreak of war, after witnessing the horrific pogroms against Jews in Germany, including Kristallnacht “Night of Broken Glass”, many agencies in the United Kingdom campaigned to help the Jewish people. These included many Christian and other welfare organizations. The debate eventually reached Parliament, who announced a program to admit Jewish children into the country and be placed into foster homes (many parents in Germany were only too keen to send their children to safety, such was their desperation).

This patient of mine was one of the Kindertransport children. He was spared a terrible fate in a gas chamber by leaving his family home to set sail for the UK. He subsequently moved to the United States, raised a family, and had a very successful career. Now he lay in a bed in front of me telling me his story. His comfort was in my hands—what an honor.

Stories like this gentleman’s always remind me what our recent ancestors went through. The younger generation (and I include my own generation) are constantly complaining and really think we have it so hard. But we don’t. We’ve had it very easy and comfortable compared to almost any other time point in history. I think it should be mandatory for all young people to hear stories from people like my patient, while they are still with us.

Suneel Dhand is a physician, writer, and YouTuber. He is Founder at MedStoic Lifestyle Medicine and DocsDox . Follow him on YouTube and Facebook.