MODERN-DAY BETHUNES
Norman Bethune was a Canadian physician who was drawn to left-wing political causes. He was also an accomplished thoracic surgeon at McGill University who modified more than a dozen new surgical tools. His most famous instrument was the Bethune Rib Shears, which still remains in use today. Bethune went to Spain soon after joining the Communist Party of Canada to help in the struggle for democracy and against totalitarian fascism. There he set up a mobile blood transfusion service for the Loyalist forces. Shortly thereafter, in 1937 he went to China to aid as best he could Mao Zedong’s forces as they fought against Japanese imperialism. Organizing a mobile medical unit, and working under the most primitive and war-torn conditions, he set an example of personal sacrifice and commitment which made a permanent impression on China. He became the stuff of legend and he is now generally appreciated as a” Great friend of China.” He died in a tiny peasant hut in Huangshikou Village in Tangxian County of Hebei Province of an infected cut on 12 November, 1939. Mao had this to say at his passing: “We must all learn the spirit of absolute selflessness from him.”
Two American expats have come to China and joined forces to help as they can. Alan Mease, MD, Pediatrician and David Sutton, PhD. Human Ecologist have formed Well Centre International, Ltd. to promote health and wellness in China and have bought a home in Sanya from which to operate.
These two did not come to China as missionaries (to change it) or mercenaries (to profit from it). They, like Bethune, are men of service. They came to do what they can to help China in this period of unprecedented growth and development.
Alan retired from the United States Army Medical Department as a full Colonel and academic designation of Professor. He continued to pursue his passion for children’s medicine and in China he has plied his craft as Chief Pediatrician at United Family Hospitals in Beijing. Most recently he has been a principle in the development of the new UFH facility of Integrative Medicine in Guangzhou. He has also served as the Medical Director for the Surmang Foundation, an NGO providing essential primary care without charge to the under-served rural population in Qinghai province.
He is now splitting his time between the Guangzhou Clinic and Sanya where he is personally making his services available to those seeking medical attention for their children there.
David has been an active environmentalist for over forty years specializing in, ecological conservation, sustainable development, ecotourism, integral health and creative communications. With over thirty years experience teaching at the University level, working with major Multinational Companies, International Research Institutes, Publishers, Governmental and Non-Governmental Organizations, he is engaged throughout the world for his creativity, problem-solving and writing skills.
For the past seven years he has been transferring his commitment to environmental protection to China, where, he thinks, “things have a better chance of happening before it is completely gripped by corporate interest as in the US.” He is a regular commentator on Shanghai International TV, has participated in the Green Global Leadership, SageVision and other training programs there as well as consulted on a number of sustainable development, ecotourism and CDM projects throughout China.
He believes that China represents a real opportunity to leap frog the profligate waste, inefficiency and environmental decay of the many industrialized nations with its Government’s concern and intention to pursue ìscientific developmentî(read sustainable development with specific efforts at environmental protection).
As he puts it, “China is making large-scale infrastructure investments for the first time. Working from primarily a blank slate, it can create green communities from the ground up, using state-of-the–art green technologies, avoiding many of the problems of other industrial countries.”
He would like to help with China’s efforts at sustainable development from its extensive plans for eco-cities, green buildings and clean energy development to individual conservation efforts.
The efforts and concerns of these two professionals are not that different. As Sutton is quick to point out, “You can not have healthy people in a sick environment.”
Each in his own respective field employs an integrative approach emphasizing preventive measures toward the healthy development of China and its children. As the saying goes, “An ounce of prevention worth a pound of cure.”
Whether you are talking about the healthy development of a full functioning human being or the sustainable development of a country’s exploding new infrastructure, establishing healthy patterns from the onset will help prevent very costly problems in the future.
They, together are developing the concept of an integral health resort for Sanya where the essentials of integral living are learned and practiced, where guests can experience the best of Western and traditional Medicine and healthy lifestyle choices are modeled. There will be more on this in a future column
These two intrepid expats are not likely to become modern-day legends. The similarity with Bethune might just end with their white faces and their mutual commitment to contributing to a healthy Chinese future. But that’s enough to be a real friend of China.
1/17/09