CHAPTER 3
TIMA USA Central Region
Written by Chenglin Li and Minday Wang
Published #71 | Winter 2023 Issue
On October 18, 2015, during the TIMA USA Central Region’s Autumn Clinic, volunteer medical professionals help safeguard the health of the public. Photo/Pengfei Wu
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On July 26, 2003, Tzu Chi USA’s Central Region was established, introducing the 14th Tzu Chi International Medical Association (TIMA) chapter within the United States. On the day of its founding, Dr. William Keh, then in charge of Tzu Chi USA’s Tzu Chi Medical Foundation, and Dr. Steven Fang, head of the dental department, traveled from Los Angeles specifically to share their invaluable experience in establishing and promoting Tzu Chi USA’s Central Region TIMA chapter.
Dr. Eric Yun, the convener of the TIMA USA Central Region chapter, recalled that when he first committed to Tzu Chi free clinic activities during the chapter’s inaugural tea gathering, it was with an experimental mindset. However, after participating in a flu vaccine event for low-income students at the Buckner Elementary School, he felt the meaning and importance of medical volunteerism on an even more profound level. From then on, he wholeheartedly devoted himself to becoming a valuable figure in the eyes of Tzu Chi USA Central Region volunteers and the community. He even outlined the vision of the Central Region TIMA. “We will regularly hold health lectures and provide free consultation services, establish the Cancer Support Group to enhance interaction between doctors and patients, and through various channels, encourage more healthcare professionals to join TIMA, strengthening the Central Region healthcare service lineup,” Dr. Yun explained.
A Strong Team
Today, Dr. Eric Yun’s vision for the TIMA USA Central Region chapter has been fully realized. The collaboration between TIMA and Central Region Office volunteers has formed a robust medical team. Every community clinic event organized by Central Region TIMA can call upon specialized physicians from various departments in the local area. The Texas Chinese Physicians Association (TCPA) is one of the collaborating organizations critical to TIMA’s regular community clinics. Since the first joint community clinic on November 2, 2008, they have been holding spring and autumn clinics together each year. Those who have participated in these events, whether healthcare professionals, volunteers, or community members, remember and cherish all the meaningful moments shared with the Central Region TIMA.
Immediately after this TIMA chapter was established, its members, alongside Tzu Chi USA Central Region volunteers, took action on November 8–9, 2003. They went into the community, providing flu vaccinations at Buckner and Maynard Jackson Elementary Schools, which had a higher number of low-income students. This activity at the two schools continued until, eventually, the team was able to care for more schools, providing medical consultation services to low-income households and refugees resettled in Dallas. Tzu Chi USA’s Central Region Office also serves as a beautiful and warm space to gather and an effective venue for the clinic. Dental services, including cleanings, are among the most popular services offered.
During the medical events, Central Region TIMA volunteers provided attentive and caring service, their dedication deeply moving Dr. Yan Li, President of the TCPA, who was responsible for clinic missions for the first time. He was especially impressed by the synergy between Central Region volunteers and the TIMA team, which made the clinic activities run smoothly and efficiently. He praised Central Region TIMA for not only providing medical services but also bringing together healthcare professionals in the community, uniting more compassionate hearts, and jointly providing better services to the community.
Legal Limitations
The regular clinics organized by the Central Region TIMA mobilize a team of physicians from various specialties, akin to assembling a small hospital. Despite the high standards and large scale of this team, it resembled a ship that had yet to embark on its long journey due to certain federal and state medical regulations in the United States. Each participating physician in these clinics temporarily lost some of their professional capacity, as they were unable to diagnose patients or prescribe medications.
Every clinic involved around 50 to 60 doctors from the TCPA and the Central Region TIMA, each representing various medical specialties. However, the clinics could only offer free health consultations due to the licensing for this service center. Physicians were unable to diagnose patients or prescribe medications. This not only left the eager physicians who are dedicated to serving the community feeling frustrated, but also dampened the enthusiasm of the public to participate in these clinics.
Years later, as Meihua Wu recalled this experience, she still felt regret. Every year, there were more physicians than patients at these clinics. After two to three years, Tzu Chi USA’s Central Region carefully evaluated the situation. Given that it would be the doctors’ only day of rest each week, they reluctantly decided to suspend the community clinics.
Every clinic required a substantial workforce and resources. Each staff member, each piece of equipment, and even each sheet of paper represented an accumulation of resources. If the desired outcome wasn’t achieved, it resulted in a waste of resources. Volunteer Amy Ho still vividly remembers that on October 22, 2017, the last autumn clinic took place. On that day, everyone felt a deep sense of sadness and reluctance.
Before the establishment of the Central Region TIMA, the medical volunteers at Tzu Chi’s service center in this region had already organized activities such as dental clinics, health seminars, influenza vaccinations, bone marrow donation blood tests, and blood donations. Meihua Wu explained: “In the early years, the bone marrow donation and blood testing process was far more complicated than it is now. The blood donation vehicle would come to the venue, and blood tests would accompany blood donation. This was all thanks to the enthusiastic response of the community, as well as the strong dedication of the Service Center volunteers and medical team.”
Looking back at the suspended community clinics, volunteers Meihua Wu and Amy Ho expressed the volunteers’ collective hopes. Tzu Chi members believe that all difficulties can eventually be overcome. On a day when all conditions are right, the Tzu Chi USA Central Region Office and TIMA chapter will surely overcome the relevant regulations. Thus, everyone would be able to return and provide more effective community clinic services, and doctors will be able to offer more substantial medical assistance to patients.
Helping Children Fulfill Their Dreams
Since the establishment of Tzu Chi USA’s Central Region TIMA chapter, in addition to regular community medical outreach activities, its members have also collaborated with regional volunteers to provide special services for specific groups. Starting from August 13, 2011, Dr. Frank Lieu, the vice-convener of this TIMA chapter, alongside Central Region volunteers, would visit the Barack Obama Male Leadership Academy (BOMLA) to conduct health examinations for low-income students.
The health examination fee for children is about $80. For low-income families, this is still a considerable amount. Dr. Lieu is a pediatrician, and he took us to the school to conduct the entrance health examinations.
The Barack Obama Male Leadership Academy (BOMLA) is the only public boys’ school in Dallas, with over 70% of students coming from low- to middle-income families. BOMLA’s founding principal, Nakia Douglas, became acquainted with Tzu Chi when he served as the principal of an elementary school back in 2002. Since 2011, Tzu Chi USA’s Central Region has been promoting Jing Si Aphorism teachings at BOMLA. Tzu Chi is also a member of the school’s Board of Trustees.
On September 22, 2012, the Central Region TIMA and regional volunteers returned to BOMLA to conduct health examinations for students from low-income, single-parent families. This also fulfilled many students’ wishes to participate in various sports activities. Before students could join in any sports, they needed a health examination certificate as proof of their physical health. Just a few days before the health examination, suddenly, Dr. Lieu fell ill. It was not easy to find a substitute pediatrician at such short notice. Fortunately, Dr. Jianzhen Guan, a pediatrician from the TCPA who had recently retired, took the initiative to contact volunteer Steve Wang. With all problems solved, 22 students completed their health examinations.
In addition to medical outreach activities, students at BOMLA also participate in Tzu Chi’s character education courses on a monthly basis, sowing seeds of kindness that can grow and flourish even outside the school’s walls. After completing his health examination, one student named David looked at the volunteers with sincerity and said, “I want to fill a bamboo bank to help those in need.”
In Loving Memory of the Respected Chief Convener
Looking back at the founding of the Central Region TIMA, senior volunteers from the branch always remember the young convener from over 20 years ago, Dr. Eric Yun, and his admirable demeanor. Due to the affinity that blossomed between his mother and Tzu Chi, he became a Tzu Chi medical team volunteer. Dr. Yun’s mother was a certified Tzu Chi volunteer and a Dallas True Compassion Group lecturer, with an all-in-all elegant and compassionate air. Inspired by both Dharma Master Cheng Yen and his mother, Yun vigorously promoted the establishment of the Central Region TIMA. At the invitation of Yuanliang Ling, Executive Director of Tzu Chi USA’s Central Region, he took on the heavy responsibility of being the TIMA USA Central Region chapter’s chief convener. He invited doctors from various specialties to participate in clinics, and welcomed nurses from their own clinics to help with tasks like administering injections, measuring blood pressure, and checking blood sugar levels.
In those years, during every clinic event held in Dallas, one could see Dr. Yun’s busy figure. However, in 2016, after falling ill, Tzu Chi’s beloved Dr. Yun passed away peacefully in his sleep on August 21, 2022. The vision that he illustrated during the tea gathering to celebrate TIMA’s establishment here all came to fruition. And, more local medical staff have been encouraged to join TIMA, using their compassion and empathy to build upon Dr. Eric Yun’s original mission, while continuing to spread love in Dallas.
