Buddhist Compassion Relief Tzu Chi Foundation

In the first few years of Tzu Chi Hospital, Master Cheng Yen once asked Dr. Yung-hsiang Hsu, director of pathology, about the purpose of implementing the pathological anatomy? Dr. Hsu answered: “To save lives.”

Master Cheng Yen then asked: “But the patients already passed away, how to save their lives?

"We perform anatomy after the patient pass away so that we can understand and trace how certain disease or virus affects a human body so as to seek for optimal treatments. This will help to increase the chance of saving the life of another patient with similar disease in the future.” After understanding the purpose and importance of such anatomy, Master Cheng Yen promote pathology anatomy as a way to make full use of our deceased body for further medical research to save lives of others.

Tzu Chi Hospital started operation on August 17th, 1986, the hospital has its first anatomy on September 1990. By January 2000, it has carried out more than 100 anatomies followed by September 2003, 200 anatomies were done. By achieving 300 anatomy cases on July 2008, it meant there are 300 body donors who contributed to the medical research, especially on rare diseases. It sets a special record base for disease samples in Taiwan and forms a strong education platform for Tzu Chi’s medical education, and adds fruitful resources for Taiwan’s medical education. To carry out pathological anatomy is an uphill task, nevertheless, with the contribution from the “silent mentors” (body donors), the efforts of Tzu Chi for medical education and clinical treatments will keep on and on.