A life devoted to healing others
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Everyone in Liuhe village of Songzhuang town in Beijing's Tongzhou district has seen Zhang Huimin, 64, hurrying along on the streets to help fellow villagers in need.
But few know how long she has been doing this.
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Zhang Huimin, 64, a village doctor in Tongzhou district of Beijing, has been helping to treat villagers and aid them in various aspects of their lives since she graduated from medical school 48 years ago. |
Zhang, who is widely known as "Grandma Zhang" in Liuhe, has been helping treat villagers since she graduated from medical school 48 years ago.
At 1 pm on Tuesday, Zhang was so busy updating the medical records of her patients that she forgot to have lunch. She later rushed to see a newborn on her worn-out but well-known bicycle.
"Feed her some calcium pills and she'll be fine. Nothing serious, so take it easy," Zhang told the baby's mother, Fan Xiaoxue. Zhang examined the baby girl gently and carefully before comforting the worried mother.
"Thirty years ago, Zhang was the midwife when I was born," Fan said.
"Last month, she was by my side when my baby was born. She is more than a doctor to us, she is family."
Fan herself had a miserable childhood when she lost her father as a young girl and had to take care of her paralyzed mother.
"When she was only nine years old, she would run to my house at midnight, crying desperately and having no idea what to do, when her mother was attacked by sharp pains," Zhang recalled of Fan.
Zhang had sent Fan's mother to hospital immediately and, knowing that the girl's poor family had no money, she begged the hospital to cut their medical cost and also collected what she had to hand about 200 yuan (US$30) to the young Fan, even though she knew her family also needed the money.
Zhang had to similarly take care of her mentally ill mother-in-law and her sick husband. She has been suffering from heart disease and high blood pressure herself for many years. But the thought of giving up her patients and enjoying her retirement never occurred to her.
"My little brother died of pneumonia due to insufficient treatment when I was nine. So I decided to become a doctor to treat poor villagers," Zhang said.
"I know how terrible it is for family members to suffer. Even though I'm not young any more, I still have the strength and will to help others."
In Zhang's house, one room serves as a simple clinic with a sole wooden obstetric table. She examines patients free of charge and provides services for pregnant women. When they are expecting, she invites them for routine examinations.
Before they are in labor, she will accompany them to hospital. She will track down their information after they give birth.
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