Great Love of the Great Doctor: Zhang Xingru’s Philosophy of Philanthropy (Ⅰ)

【专栏】| Conlumists >微公益 | MicroCharity

By Yibai, Jointing.Media, in Shanghai, 2010-08-28

From July 16th to 24th, 2010, the “Charity Brightness Tour” successfully completed its fourth stop – the “Prairie Brightness Tour.” Since its inception in 2006, more than four years have passed in silence. The team members of the Brightness Tour raised funds on their own and used their spare time and professional expertise to explore a new path of public welfare. What attracted them to this point? What is the significance and contribution of their practice to themselves and society? Professor Zhang Xingru, the initiator of the Brightness Tour and vice president of the affiliated Putuo Hospital of Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, gave his first interview, sharing his insights on their practice of public welfare.

Study the nature of things,
Act according to one’s ability,
Find joy in doing public welfare

“Has donating money achieved the original intention of everyone participating in public welfare? It is easier to succeed by using one’s own skills and integrating social resources, and it is more valuable to oneself. Through one’s own labor, Brightness Action brings light to others, and this is the philosophy that we follow.”

——Zhang Xingru

First Brightness Action, 13 and 18

In January 2006, 13 people and 4 cars, carrying over 270 types of medical equipment, completed 18 eye surgeries on temporary operating tables made of local wooden boards at an altitude of over 4,000 meters on the snowy plateau. This was the first expedition of the Brightness Action(Cishan Guangming Xing, which means “bring light”), a philanthropy program that restores sight through cataract surgery (hereinafter referred to as “GMX”).

It sounds like the journey was quite an adventure, with the team of 13 medical professionals and volunteers traveling from various locations such as Beijing, Shanghai, and the United States to converge in Chengdu, Sichuan. They then embarked on a three-day journey by car, crossing the Dadu River, the Jinsha River, the Erlang Mountain, and the Zheduo Mountain, which is over 5,000 meters high, and approaching the 7,000-meter-high Que’er Mountain. Along the way, they encountered mudslides and heavy snowstorms, which must have been quite challenging. As the team leader, Zhang Xingru was understandably concerned about everyone’s safety, but they eventually arrived safely.

Looking back on this trip, Zhang Xingru still remembers it vividly. “Thirteen of us (ophthalmologists and volunteers) came from Beijing, Shanghai, the United States, and other places to converge in Chengdu, Sichuan Province. Then we took a car for more than three days. We crossed the Dadu River, the Jinsha River, the Erlang Mountain, and the Zheduo Mountain, which is over 5,000 meters high, and approached the Que’er Mountain, which is over 7,000 meters high. At that time, we also encountered mudslides and heavy snowstorms. I’m the leader of the medical team, with the doctors from our hospital, and very worried about everyone’s safety. We were jolted all the way and frightened, but we finally arrived safely.”

Zuoqin Township in Dege County, Garze Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan Province, is located at the junction of Tibet, Sichuan, and Qinghai provinces, at an altitude of over 4,000 meters. The intense ultraviolet radiation on the plateau in this Tibetan region has led to a high incidence of cataracts among the local population. GMX’s team members were mentally prepared for the difficult environment, but the medical conditions were still unexpected, so they had to redesign the surgical plan.

“We arrived after a four-month drought, and it rained heavily for a day and night. The locals said we brought a good rain after a long drought. But the heavy rain destroyed the hospital’s power system. The operation was delayed a day and carried out from morning until midnight without air conditioning in 40-degree temperatures. Sometimes the machines began to malfunction due to overheating. At that time, I just thought that as long as there was a rainproof house, it would be fine. We brought our own medical equipment and the bed was made of local wooden planks,” Zhang Xingru recalled.

The original plan was to perform 10 surgeries, but due to an increasing number of patients who came after hearing about it, GMX ended up completing 18 surgeries, including 7 local monks.

According to statistics, 108 Tibetan eye disease patients received free medical treatment, all 15 cataract surgeries and 3 ophthalmic surgeries were successful in the first GMX charity project. When they saw the patients open their eyes and see after the surgery, the GMX team members were moved to tears.

“We have also gained valuable experience in conducting cataract surgery under difficult conditions,” Zhang xinru said.

Happiness Driver

Zhang Xingru undertakes a lot of hospital management work as vice president of the hospital. Meanwhile he is the organizer and team core of GMX as co-founder. GMX project, once-a-year voluntary action, is a part-time job for him. Just organizing and coordinating would eat up three months of his spare time. He sacrificed a lot of time with his family. But his family not only supported him in running the project, but his children really wanted to be part of it in the end.

He said, “Although participating in such voluntary activities is very educational for her, I cannot let her go. If everyone brings their children, it will affect the seriousness of this action.” Voluntary action is not entertainment, it is a job, and a serious one at that. This is Zhang Xingru’s opinion.

Yin Jianhong, a volunteer who participated in GMX’s trip to Gannan in 2009, wrote in an internal publication of GMX that the hardest person is Dean Zhang Xingru. From planning to implementation, from medical services to logistics, he is meticulous and conscientious, a role model.

Talking about a lot of effort and dedication for voluntary action, Zhang Xingru believes that the greatest reward is happiness. He said that through such a platform of GMX, he has met like-minded friends from different fields, and everyone can see the joy brought by their small voluntary actions while practicing public welfare, and see the value of their actions.

Doctor Jiawancheng said: “As doctors, we often move others, but we don’t have many opportunities to be moved ourselves. However, GMX gave us the opportunity to be moved.”

As the old saying goes: A single hand cannot make a sound, one log cannot prop up a building. The main team members of GMX are aged 35-50, and they are the backbone of society and the pillars of their respective families. They reshape their social value through GMX. Every year, when the selection for GMX team members is approaching, people constantly ask Zhang Xingruo: “Dean Zhang, when are we going again this year?” GMX has become a spiritual sanctuary for many people. Being needed by others brings happiness.

Doing What We Can

“It’s very satisfying to do public welfare within one’s capability, and everyone is very happy doing it.” Zhang Xingruo said. Some wealthy people donated some money, others provided free labor, and those with specialized skills contribute their expertise. He advocates that it is more valuable for technically skilled people to contribute to public welfare by doing what they are best at.

“Did the donating money achieve its original intention? It is easier for us to be successful and valuable to ourselves by integrating the resources of society with our own skills. We bring light to others through our own work. We do it through this idea.”Zhang Xingruo said.

All equipment, consumables, patient diagnosis and surgical fees, as well as living expenses for each activity are self-funded by GMX members. Most of the funding comes from donations by volunteers, ie., students in Peking University’s EMBA program. Professional doctors are sourced from top-tier hospitals in Beijing and Shanghai.

Zhang Xingruo emphasize the importance of knowing your limitations and controlling the number of volunteers and surgeries per session. He said that although there are many patients and demands, we must also work within our limits to ensure the quality of surgery. Knowing what you cannot do is essential to focus on doing what you excel in. It’s not necessary to do things with great fanfare, rather, do them quietly and humbly.

Study the nature of things and act according to one’s ability, this is the tone Zhang Xingruo set for the GMX.

(To be continued)

中文原文

Translated by MirrorChat and Youdao Translate

Edited by Wind

Yifan Ding also contributed to this article.

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