It was a day of recognition, amidst the felt focus on the Shanghai response to the earthquake in Sichuan Province. The long-planned evening banquet, celebrating our three anniversaries (10th for the Shanghai Children's Medical Center (SCMC); 25th for Project HOPE in China; and 50th for HOPE around the world) had been cancelled, in honor of those who lost their lives in Sichuan Province.
However, the day's events at the hospital continued on schedule.
It was a day of beautiful weather, with the hospital's three flag poles, side by side, flying the flags of HOPE, the SCMC and China. Over two hundred people gathered on the lawn in the front of the Heart Tower to witness a "first" in the history of China. Never before had a bust of an American been unveiled on hospital grounds. Today, the leadership of Shanghai honored the memory of Dr. Bill Walsh, the founder of HOPE, in a formal ceremony unveiling his handsome bust, the largest of its kind in the city. Beneath it are the words: "Doctor, Teacher, Friend," which well reflect the esteem in which he continues to be held in China.His son, John, speaking on behalf of the Walsh family, recounted his father's abiding commitment to the hospital in its creation. While he saw it as a place of healing, he also envisioned it as a means of connecting people who care deeply about health. The previous day's CEO forum, bringing together hospital leaders from throughout China, along with their counterparts from four continents, would have greatly pleased him.
Lynn Schneider, the daughter of the benefactor who inspired and supported the creation of the Schneider's Children's Hospital in Israel, spoke of her father's similar view of a hospital for children. He described it as a "bridge to peace." This has been HOPE's experience in Krakow, Shanghai and soon in Basrah. It has been our experience, as well, with clinics in Santo Domingo and Monte Plata.
The formal 10th Anniversary Celebration followed in the hospital's International Conference Hall. It began with singing, in Mandarin, by the SCMC staff choir. Their first song was a tribute to the victims of the earthquake. Its words, "We will hold your hand" and "Be safe and be lucky" were most compelling. The words of their second song, "Big hand holds little hand" recognized the work of the hospital.
Dr. Liu Jinfen, the internationally-reknown heart surgeon and President of the the SCMC, spoke of the hospital's beginning: "Shanghai Children's Medical Center was jointly established by Shanghai Municipal People's Government and U.S. Project HOPE."
He went on to speak of this moment's significance: "As the symbolized project of Shanghai's social development during the period of the "Ninth Five Year Plan," Shanghai's key construction project, one of the 10 great deeds implemented by Shanghai Municipality and U.S. Project HOPE's largest collaborative program in the world, SCMC has become the establishment of the century with huge investment."
He concluded with a recognition of the "leaders at all levels" who shared "care and support." He closed with the words, "Special thanks should also be given to Project HOPE for their selfless support. By drawing advantages from others, we will strive to be the best in Asia and seek to attain the advanced world levels with our diligence."
After the ceremony, Yang Qiao Du, the former Vice Mayor came by the hospital to share his regards. He was a physician leader in Tibet, before assuming his Shanghai responsibilities. His schedule kept him from the unveiling but, because of his friendship with HOPE, he wanted to let us know of his appreciation of our continuing contributions to the SCMC.
We finished the day with rounds of the patient wards, which allowed an opportunity for us to meet with patients and their families. I won't soon forget little Lisha, a six-year old girl, who survived the earthquake and had recently been transferred to the SCMC for the care of her orthopedic injuries. She was lying in bed, with her right arm and right leg in casts--and a stuffed dog, with floppy ears, in her left arm. She had the warmest of smiles, as she described, through her mother, what she experienced at her school on the 12th of May.
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