At Last She Stood: Chapters 34–42

by Erin Entrada Kelly
Josefina "Joey" Guerrero of the Philippines, diagnosed with leprosy (Hansen’s disease) as WWII unfolded, was awarded the U.S. Presidential Medal of Freedom at age 31 for her courageous and lifesaving work as a WWII spy supporting the Allied forces.

Here are links to our lists for the book: Chapters 1–5, Chapters 6–15, Chapters 16–25, Chapters 26–33, Chapters 34–42
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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. exploit
    a notable achievement
    “Joey’s exploit saved the lives of all those men who were rushing to save us,” Gertie later wrote. “At the time we did not realize we owed our lives to this one little Filipina girl.”
  2. backlash
    an adverse reaction to some political or social occurrence
    Breaking these rules can create significant backlash for the Carville administration and from the public, who still carry a deep-seated fear of the disease.
  3. polio
    a viral disease that can cause muscle weakness or paralysis
    “Polio had its FDR. Leprosy has its Joey,” Doody writes, referring to US President Franklin D. Roosevelt, who suffered from polio, but went on to become one of the most popular and revered leaders in the modern world.
  4. wane
    become smaller
    With each passing day, her desire to return to the Philippines wanes.
  5. intervene
    get involved, so as to alter or hinder an action
    A Louisiana Congressman, James Morrison, introduces a bill to the US Congress on March 20, 1951, to intervene on Joey’s behalf, but the bill is tabled in favor of other congressional business, and on July 29, 1953, the US Immigration and Naturalization Service holds a deportation hearing to have her sent back to the Philippines.
  6. surpass
    be greater in scope or size than some standard
    The medical treatment at Carville has surpassed many people’s expectations overall.
  7. stigma
    a symbol of disgrace or infamy
    Things have also progressed outside the walls of Carville. Leprosy is no longer considered a quarantinable disease by the Louisiana legislature, for example. The stigma certainly hasn’t disappeared, but it’s fading, bit by bit.
  8. breakthrough
    the act of making an important discovery
    In the 1940s, a medicine called dapsone was developed at Carville. This medicine, “the miracle of Carville,” was a breakthrough in the treatment of Hansen’s disease.
  9. fateful
    having momentous consequences; of decisive importance
    One such resolution, from the same army division to which Joey delivered the fateful map, states that it fully supports “citizenship for Joey Guerrero, who, by her actions, has demonstrated those traits of Christian brotherhood and service to her fellow men, which citizens of the United States hold supreme.”
  10. glean
    collect or gather bit by bit, especially information
    “[Joey] radiated courage and faith to hollow-eyed GIs, some of whom gave her information they had gleaned from talkative...guards,” Johnson writes.
  11. bigotry
    intolerance and prejudice
    She is honest with potential employers about her medical history and anticipates that her road to gainful employment will be marred with “prejudice and bigotry along with disappointments,” as she tells a friend.
  12. beset
    assail or attack on all sides
    She received medals, became an advocate, reinvented herself, graduated from college among students half her age, then settled down for a quieter life, one that wasn’t beset with hardships of the past, until her ship carried her home.
  13. efface
    remove completely from recognition or memory
    “Most people think I have died because I have tried very hard to efface the past,” she writes.
  14. traumatic
    psychologically painful
    “I simply want to forget it. It was too traumatic and has given me no end of heartbreak. [But] I am still alive and full of zest for life.”
  15. disenchantment
    freedom from false belief or illusions
    Among her files at Carville is this note:
    I have overcome my hurts, my griefs, my disenchantment, and
    out of seeming despair
    I learned to cope, to rise up, to learn new and exciting things
    amongst the doubts and the turmoil.
Created on Sat Feb 28 20:21:29 EST 2026 (updated Tue Apr 14 13:12:26 EDT 2026)

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