Written by: Huang Xiang-Hui
Photographed by: Chen Zhong-Hua
Translated by: Mindy Chen
Proofread by: Agness Tsao
In the morning of the first day of annual TIMA convention, Tseng Guo-Fang, Vice President of Tzu Chi University, delivered the speech of “Silent Mentors Nurture Good Doctors”.
Professor Tseng said that Venerable Dharma Master Cheng Yen founded Buddhist Tzu Chi Compassion Relief Foundation in 1966 and began with the charity mission. From many cases, Venerable Dharma Master found that the poverty was usually caused by the sickness. Free clinic services began in 1972; in 1986 the first Tzu Chi Hospital was established in Hualien. Most medical professionals were not willing to serve in Hualien, the backyard of Taiwan. In order to nurture doctors and nurses who care about patients and are willing to serve in any place, Tzu Chi Medical College was established in 1994.
In the early days, the criminal corpses were dissected for medical study in the Western society. The main source of corpses for medical education was unclaimed bodies. These were, of course, provided without names. The medical students felt uncomfortable towards the corpses on which they studied. At the end of the anatomy class period, the cadavers were not given a respectable send-off ceremony, which is contrary to the essence of medical education - empathy and caring.
Venerable Dharma Master Cheng Yen said, “We do not have a claim on our life, but only the right to use it. Silent Mentors make the best of their useless cadavers after passing away. Hoping everyone bravely faces the death.” In 1995 Tzu Chi initiated the body donation program. A good number of Tzu Chi female volunteers aggressively responded. Medical students must visit the Silent Mentor’s family members to get to know the Silent Mentor whose philosophy was worthy of learning before they worked on their bodies. At the end of the anatomy class period, the mentor’s family was invited to attend a farewell ceremony through which the family members can send their loved one off. The Wall Street Journal reported the Tzu Chi’s Silent Mentor program on April 22, 2009, which gained the international media recognition.
Respecting lives, students keep the anatomy lab clean throughout the semester; at the conclusion of the last day’s work, students suture all organs of the cadaver back together, well dress the Silent Mentor and following by the farewell ceremony. After the farewell ceremony, the cadaver will be cremated and its ashes will be kept in Tzu Chi Memorial Hall. Professor Tseng appraised Tzu Chi volunteers who devote themselves into the program from body donation till comforting Silent Mentors’ family members. Finally, Professor Tseng expressed his gratitude with a film of the grand send-off ceremony.
