Anna-Kaarina Aalto was born on 12 August 1920 in
Toivakka, Finland. After graduating from high school in 1938, she began studying medicine at the
University of Helsinki, though her studies were interrupted by
Finnish entry into
World War II. During the war, Aalto served in the Finnish Blood Service (''''), and was a doctor at
military hospitals. She received a
Bachelor of Medicine degree in 1943, and a
licentiate in medicine in 1947. Aalto began her medical practice in 1948. Initially working as a school doctor and counselor, she later established her own private medical practice along with her husband, serving the city of
Lappeenranta and the surrounding towns. Aalto's medical practice led to her becoming highly regarded in the
South Karelia region; the newspaper
Helsingin Sanomat wrote that the community's level of trust in her was so high that "the name Aalto became synonymous with doctor in many homes", and recalled an instance where she breastfed the infant of a patient suffering from
mastitis. In additional to her medical practice, Aalto was also socially and politically involved, and was considered to hold influence among several local and national boards. She was also a member of several
temperance organizations and women's groups, including the Finnish Women's Sobriety Center and the Sobriety Friends Association, serving as president of the former. A member of the
National Coalition Party, Aalto was a member of the Lappeenranta city council for almost forty years. and so served out the remainder of Rihtniemi's term. Aalto represented the
Kymi constituency until the end of her term in January 1972. While in parliament, she was a member of the Committee on Agriculture and Forestry. Aalto retired from her medical practice in 1983. She died on 16 April 1994 in Lappeenranta. == Bibliography ==