Dr Lim Xiang Jun (right) is all smiles as she goes about her regular consultation session at Tzu Chi TCM Free Clinic (Redhill). (Photo by Chan May Ching)
On first impression, Dr Lim Xiang Jun and the practice of TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) seem worlds apart. At a youthful 36 years of age, she is not your quintessential TCM practitioner. Armed with a wealth of knowledge and 18 years of experience in the TCM domain, she prides herself on her modern methods and runs her own private practice for high-end clients. Over the years, her practice has also grown from strength to strength, resulting in her increased reputation and appearances in numerous media interviews.
But beyond the glitz and glamour, it has been a journey of sheer hard work and perseverance starting from scratch. And in her path towards establishing herself in the field has been the constant presence of Tzu Chi. Dr Lim began volunteering with Tzu Chi TCM Free Clinic (Redhill) as a TCM practitioner in 2017 and now serves there once a week on average.
Back then, she had just returned from her PhD studies in China and was looking for a place to volunteer as well as to hone her skills. She had heard about Tzu Chi previously and decided to enquire about volunteering there. Despite her relative lack of experience practising in Singapore, she was given the opportunity and has been there ever since. As she described, it was a trying period of her life where she was still trying to find her footing in the TCM industry.
“When volunteering with Tzu Chi, I was still working with another TCM clinic. As it operates on a business model, the environment is very different as it is about maximising profits from the patients. I didn’t feel that comfortable with it, but that’s how it is outside,” Dr Lim recounted.
“So whenever I come to Tzu Chi, I’m reminded of what I’m supposed to do as a doctor, which is really just to serve. It keeps me sane and gives me solace from the crazy world outside.”
Her confidence was also relatively low during that period of her life as she had doubts about her self-worth. But volunteering provided her with the fuel that she needed to keep going.
“For a period of time, maybe because I was a young doctor, I didn’t really have patients. I felt no one needed my help, but volunteering gave me a purpose. When I volunteer at Tzu Chi, I feel that the people and patients valued me, so it kept me going in this industry,” she added.
Dr Lim preparing to conduct fire cupping treatment for her patient. (Photo by Chan May Ching)
Dr Lim’s importance to the clinic has been undeniable, with the elderly patients, in particular, benefitting beyond just their physical health. Many of them often ended up sharing their life problems during consultations with her.
“I’m their listening ear. For the elderly, they have a lot of internal struggles, both emotional and mental. This is because at a certain age, they will feel like they are not useful anymore and are just riddled with illness. By just listening, it will already help them a lot,” she said.
Mdm Tan Ai Ling is an elderly patient who has visited the clinic a few times over the years. She consulted Dr Lim for the first time recently and had only words of praise for her.
“She is very kind and gentle when dealing with patients. When the doctor is caring, you will feel more comfortable. Her attitude is also very good,” shared the 77-year-old.
During the pandemic, Dr Lim conducted mental well-being talks for migrant workers as part of Tzu Chi’s series of online activities for them. (Photo by Bernard Ng Jia Han)
Besides volunteering with Tzu Chi, Dr Lim runs her own practice, providing treatment methods that combine her knowledge of Western Medicine, TCM and all other ancient energy medicines. (Photo provided by Lim Xiang Jun)
A Youthful Presence and an Experienced Head
Dr Lim is undoubtedly a young and promising TCM practitioner on the rise. And on the other end of the spectrum is veteran TCM practitioner Tay Ai Choo. She is also a volunteer TCM practitioner with Tzu Chi at the Redhill clinic and has been contributing her services since 2005. She was introduced to the organisation by current full-time Tzu Chi TCM practitioner Lai Hin Wai, who was her schoolmate at the Singapore College of Traditional Chinese Medicine when they were still learning the trade.
After graduating from the college, she was looking for a place to hone her skills, and Tzu Chi provided her with the perfect platform. She also firmly believed in not seeing patients for money, which aligned well with the clinic's work.
“I feel that healthcare should be about helping the patients relieve their pain and not profits. Some private healthcare clinics and organisations have become too commercialised. In some cases, they would promote and sell healthcare products to the patients even if they might not need them,” explained the 70-year-old.
As someone who wears many hats, Ms Tay also gives lectures and classes in TCM at various institutes during her free time. While she is a human resource professional by trade, TCM has become the focus of her life as she aims to continue serving patients to her best abilities. Although she might not say it explicitly, her values of kindness and compassion resonate deeply with the Tzu Chi spirit. Other than her passion to volunteer on a twice weekly basis, she also tries to plant the seeds of kindness in her patients.
For instance, she would make it a point to educate patients who might not realise that the clinic is funded from the public’s charitable donations and end up asking for excessive medicine that they might not need. Through these simple reminders, she hoped to inspire them to spare a thought for others.
She explained: “My job is not just to educate them on how to care for their bodies but also to cultivate compassion and civic-mindedness. For some of them, it is not that they don’t have a kind heart, but it has just not occurred to them. When they are aware, the impact is huge, so I don’t mind being the bad guy.”
Veteran TCM practitioner Tay Ai Choo walking towards Tzu Chi TCM Free Clinic (Redhill) as she prepares for her twice weekly volunteer sessions. (Photo by Pan Zaixiang)
Ms Tay (right) guiding her patient on how she can determine the state of her health by observing the colour of her tongue. (Photo by Pan Zaixiang)
The two volunteer TCM practitioners have been integral to the clinic’s operations, bringing with them their unique skillsets and experience. This has helped complement the strengths of the existing full-time staff.
“Without them, there won’t be Redhill TCM clinic. They are similar to our other volunteers; without them, we can’t do a lot of things,” said clinic staff Aveline Tan Zhen Hui. “Both of them have their own strengths and different working styles. Ms Tay is more experienced in handling patients while Dr Lim is younger, so her methods might be more advanced.”
Clinic staff Aveline Tan Zhen Hui (right) listening attentively to a patient’s enquiries. (Photo by Chan May Ching)
It has certainly been beneficial to Tzu Chi and its patients by attracting TCM practitioners of the calibre of Dr Lim and Ms Tay to come forward to serve. According to Tzu Chi volunteer and former Redhill TCM clinic deputy head, Lim Lee Huang, Tzu Chi’s volunteer TCM practitioners like them were mostly introduced to volunteer at the organisation through word of mouth. Many resonated with the Tzu Chi approach of seeing patients, where there was an emphasis on quality over quantity.
“When the clinic first started, volunteer TCM practitioners were usually brought in through recommendations from the people we know. But in recent years, word has spread among practitioners about Tzu Chi and how we see patients. Many of them prefer our consultation model, where there is a deeper level of communication and a focus on helping patients recover well,” she said.
Tzu Chi volunteer and former Redhill TCM clinic deputy head, Lim Lee Huang, believes the clinic is able to attract practitioners to come forward to serve as volunteers due to its focus on quality patient care. (Photo by Fong Kwai Kin)
Looking ahead, the passion to serve continues to burn bright for these two volunteer practitioners as they look to carry on their TCM work with Tzu Chi for as long as they can. With the clinic’s aim to provide more than just routine services, they have played their part by displaying a level of care and concern that might be difficult to replicate in a fast-paced commercial healthcare setting. Thus, we can certainly look forward to more high-quality service from them in the years to come.
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