CHAPTER 3
TIMA USA Midwest
Part 2
Written by Monica Chen, Yahmei Hsieh, and Yingying Lee
Translated by H.B Qin
Published #71 | Winter 2023 Issue
Dr. Ihuei Lin, the Cleveland medical team leader and the first TIMA Cleveland convenor, explains the team’s activity plan at the Cleveland Service Center in 1998. Photo/Yahmei Hsieh
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TIMA Cleveland
Among the 13 local Tzu Chi USA Midwest Region offices, the Cleveland Service Center in Ohio established a TIMA chapter earlier than the Midwest Region Office in Chicago, Illinois.
The Cleveland Service Center was established on June 29, 1997. Due to the area residents’ lack of medical knowledge, the high cost of medical insurance, the need for assistance for the underprivileged and sick, and the presence of many doctors from Taiwan, Tzu Chi volunteer Yahmei Hsieh proposed establishing a medical team. With all the conditions in place, a medical team was formed, with Dr. Ihuei Lin taking the lead and actively participating in community medical services.
On September 5, 1998, the Cleveland medical team held its first blood testing event for bone marrow donation at Asia Plaza. The volunteers encouraged the public to show their love by taking a blood test to match and save lives without causing any damage to themselves. More such events followed, with over 80 people participating each time.
From 1998 to 2002, every September, under the leadership of Dr. Lin, the team held lectures that covered a wide range of medical knowledge about topics such as headaches, back pain, cancer prevention, bone marrow donation, health insurance, menopause, and breast cancer prevention. Dr. Sue Huang, Dr. Weiyu Hsu, Dr. Chengnan Huang, Dr. Jeffery Chen, Dr. Shu Huang, Dr. Bangxiong Huang, Dr. Peter Chen, and Dr. Shujane Kuo were all part of the lecturing team.
During the same period, the medical team led by Lin would provide flu shots every fall before the arrival of the influenza peak; the service targeted individuals over 50 years of age and those who were chronically ill or immunocompromised. Since prevention is better than needing a cure, the community highly praised, recognized and supported the activity.
The medical team also worked with Dr. Kate Ku, head of the Cleveland Chinese Senior Citizens Association, and the medical staff of St. Vincent Charity Community Health Center to organize community health checkups. The service included blood tests (for cholesterol and diabetes); vascular, prostate cancer, and breast cancer screenings; checks of vision, blood pressure, foot health, and other tests; as well as health consultation and nutritional and dietary education. Beginning in 1998, these free clinics took place every April, with more than 100 people attending each time.
The Cleveland medical team holds a blood testing event for bone marrow donation on September 5, 1998, a service well received and supported by the community. Photo/Yahmei Hsieh
In March 2001, the TIMA Cleveland chapter came into being with the encouragement of William Keh, then director of the Buddhist Tzu Chi Free Clinic in Alhambra, California. TIMA Cleveland has many doctors caring for and identifying with Tzu Chi’s medical mission and services in the area, and local doctors have supported this initiative. The first convener of TIMA Cleveland, Dr. Ihuei Lin, is a pediatrician, and under his leadership, TIMA Cleveland has been like the sun at high noon.
The second convenor was Dr. Shujane Kuo, who was in her thirties when she took over the position. She continued to carry on TIMA’s legacy by organizing regular medical lectures and consultations with great dedication and enthusiasm. The third convenor was Dr. Peter Chen before he moved to Southern California. These doctors helped make TIMA Cleveland’s services a source of relief from suffering and joy.
In 2009, the Cleveland Service Center purchased a new office. The improved site attracted more Chinese and other visitors. During this time, renowned Traditional Chinese Medicine doctors Hanchao Lu and Yuepang Mok joined Tzu Chi’s service community. Yahmei Hsieh, who has accompanied local volunteers in their Tzu Chi medical mission journey, admired the determination of Cleveland area doctors. “Even with free consultations, pulse feeling, and acupuncture treatments for the public one weekend a month, it’s commendable that they took extra time out of their busy schedules to provide free clinics for people,” she said.
Healthcare Activity in St. Louis
Although the St. Louis Service Center in Missouri, another local office of the Tzu Chi USA Midwest Region, did not establish a TIMA chapter, it provided a healthcare activity in the local University City Public Library once a month, targeting uninsured or low-income residents, who could come to receive free health checks. Many older residents would come on foot because of its proximity to a senior living apartment.
For the convenience of Chinese attendees who didn’t speak English, St. Louis Service Center volunteers translated the screening programs and medical manuals into Chinese and provided interpretation services on-site. This healthcare activity was well received by the community. There were times when the number of people coming was unexpectedly large, and soon after the checkups started, the quota was full. Beajia Laschober, Director of the St. Louis Service Center, and the volunteers would try their best to make arrangements so people would not leave disappointed.
Even though Tzu Chi USA Midwest Region’s medical mission is active in only three states in the broad area it serves, the volunteers believe that no matter where they are, love exists; compassionate medical care is just an undiscovered seed ready to sprout in many locations across this vast terrain.
