When Doctors Work Together
Dr. Chen Cheng-cheng, founder of TIMA

—Dr. Chen Cheng-cheng


Dr. Chen Cheng-cheng is tall and strong and has a good sense of humor. During the Tzu Chi International Medical Association (TIMA) conference this year, he acted sometimes as chairperson and sometimes as translator for various seminars. Before a sign-language performance for the Mid-Autumn Festival, he hid a piece of paper in his belt to help him memorize the signs, and his hands were busily rehearsing even as his team proceeded to the stage. His presence always made people laugh.

Sincere, upright, trustworthy and honest

Dr. Chen, director of the Cardiology Department at Straub Hospital in Hawaii, is the man behind the formation of TIMA. He was once the chairperson of the Taiwanese Medical Doctor's Association in Hawaii, where he promoted the idea that doctors had to treat a patient's mind, not just the disease itself.

At the beginning of 1996, he invited Steven Huang, director of the Tzu Chi Department of Religious Affairs, to talk about the foundation at a meeting of the Taiwanese Medical Doctor's Association. Huang's speech was heartily applauded by his audience. Shortly afterward, Dr. Fan Chi-jung and his wife, Hsiao Tzu-kuang, gathered this force together and formed the Tzu Chi Hawaii Liaison Office on April 20 of the same year.

Dr. Chen doesn't cry easily, but his eyes were red from crying as he witnessed the reunion of local Chinese people at the opening ceremony for the liaison office. He also vowed to adopt the Buddha's compassion and Master Cheng Yen's commitment as his own, so that he could promote the Tzu Chi missions in Hawaii.

Most Tzu Chi members in Hawaii are doctors. They set up a clinic in June 1997 at the liaison office to provide free medical services to all poor people of all races. In May 2000, the Tzu Chi Free Clinic in Hawaii was opened. Fourteen doctors currently provide services from Monday night through Friday night every week.

"These doctors of different nationalities all come to the Free Clinic and serve without pay," noted Dr. Chen, "but they all work willingly and even donate medicine."

When doctors work together

When international charity organizations provide medical assistance, most of them only hand out medicine or medical equipment. Very few provide actual medical treatment. Tzu Chi people in Taiwan, the Philippines and the United States had a great deal of experience in providing free clinics, but they didn't have a chance to exchange those experiences with each other. Therefore, Drs. Chen, Fan Chi-jung and Lai Chi-sheng determined that Tzu Chi headquarters in Hualien should organize Tzu Chi medical volunteers around the globe and establish plans to assist the needy in poverty-stricken areas or nations devastated by disasters.

When this proposal was put forward in February 1998, it won the support of Master Cheng Yen, as well as that of doctors in the United States, Taiwan and other areas. In April of the same year, the first preparatory meeting was held in Hawaii, attended by doctors from Taiwan, the Philippines and the States. In October of the same year, the Master named the organization Tzu Chi International Medical Association, or "TIMA" for short.

Saving lives is the key

In March 1998, Dr. Chen, Dr. Fan and Dr. Bruce Behnke, superintendent of Kaiser Hospital, went to inspect the problem of a shortage of medical supplies on Truk Island in Micronesia. They also participated in free clinics in Vietnam, the Philippines and Indonesia, where they exchanged experiences with TIMA members from other nations.

"After participating in several free clinics, I feel the Tzu Chi Philippine medical team members are doing a wonderful job, because they have a very good team spirit. When they heard that TIMA would soon be set up, they immediately announced that theirs would be a TIMA mission. Whenever we have a meeting, Dr. Siu Chuan Leh, executive deputy superintendent of the General Chinese Hospital in the Philippines, and Dr. Josefino Qua from the same hospital, always attend."

Having run free clinics for quite a long time, the Philippine medical team members have become very efficient at coordinating personnel, setting up free clinics in difficult locations, arranging patients' visits, finding out what medical services are needed, etc. All this made a formidable impression on Dr. Chen.

Dr. Chen pointed out that when he and some other physicians flew from Hawaii to Indonesia for their first free clinic in March 1999, they were unfamiliar with the country and a little frightened by the civil unrest. As a result, they became rather disorientated and didn't know what to do. Fortunately, the Philippine medical team members soon came to the rescue. They set up the site with a calm, easy attitude. Their tranquillity and efficiency soon calmed the agitation of the other physicians and brought the situation under control. All the doctors pitched in to look after the patients.

"The size of a free clinic is not important," Dr. Chen added. "A clinic is worthwhile even if only one harelip can be corrected." The reason is that no matter how smart a child may be, his life will be overshadowed by a harelip that prevents him from talking clearly or being treated normally by his peers. A free clinic can change a child's appearance and give him a completely new life.

Strength through cooperation

The previous two TIMA meetings were held in Hawaii and Los Angeles with participants mainly from the United States. However, the conference this year in Taiwan was attended by more than three hundred medical people and volunteers from twelve countries. This was a great encouragement to Dr. Chen, who has been promoting TIMA for many years.

"This is especially supportive to the development of new TIMA branches in Southeast Asia," explained Dr. Chen. The Tzu Chi Indonesian Medical Association will soon be established, as will the Medical Association in Singapore, which will support a free clinic on Batam Island, Indonesia. Members in Malaysia and Vietnam are also considering setting up medical associations. Dr. Chen hopes to integrate medical people in Southeast Asia first. His next target is to help set up TIMA branches in Central and South America. He believes that medical volunteers in the United States will support free clinics in Mexico, Honduras and other nearby countries.

This is Chen Cheng-cheng's original plan to organize Tzu Chi medical volunteers around the world. He also has an idea for the Tzu Chi Taiwan Medical Association: "We can export Taiwan's medical care and allow Taiwanese doctors to receive international licenses and recognition. We can also keep all the doctors' data on file, so that whenever we hold free clinics we can invite more medical personnel to participate."

Dr. Chen continues to dedicate himself to planning future TIMA programs, but what motivates him and the other members of the association to take part in all these free clinics? "It originates from Master Cheng Yen's admonition to 'Take the Buddha's compassion as your own and the Master's commitments as your own.' Since we have the same faith, we don't need to talk much and we know how to do our tasks. That is why camaraderie and a strong sense of identification with the Tzu Chi spirit are the most important factors behind our success. We don't aim to attract a lot of physicians who do not share our conviction."