Written by Chifen Lin
Translated by H.B. Qin
Edited by Ida Eva Zielinska
Tzu Chi volunteers from Tzu Chi USA National Headquarters Region’s Orange County Service Center in Southern California held their first large-scale free clinic of the year on April 7, 2024, at the Boys & Girls Club of Santa Ana, providing Western medicine, Chinese acupuncture, and dental services to underprivileged families in the area. The team utilized Tzu Chi’s pop-up cubicle partitions to protect patient privacy during acupuncture treatments. The clinic also offered Tzu Chi volunteers the opportunity to educate the community about Listos California‘s disaster preparedness and emergency response resources.
An Early Start
The residents of Santa Ana in Orange County, California, where the poverty rate is well above the County average, are predominantly Hispanic. Tzu Chi USA Orange County Service Center has cared for the people here since 2011. The COVID-19 pandemic and recent inflation further impacted this impoverished community, rendering medical expenses a considerable burden for many disadvantaged families in Santa Ana. This large-scale free clinic aimed to help ease the pressure on households with financial constraints, track patients with chronic conditions, and monitor their medication needs.
On the free clinic day, April 7, Tzu Chi’s medical team arrived at the venue at 6:30 AM. They found that people had started coming even earlier, lining up outside near the entrance since 5:30 AM. Dentistry is popular among the free clinic services provided by Tzu Chi. Due to the long consultation time, there was a limit on the number of people the dentists could treat. For this reason, many people were ready to queue up hours in advance so as not to miss the opportunity to receive free dental care services.
“I came here to see a dentist,” Ángel Catalán, among those who came early, explained. “They are very nice to us,” he said after his appointment, adding that he also learned more about Tzu Chi’s activities in the Americas during his visit to the clinic: “We watched some videos of Tzu Chi volunteers conducting disaster relief in Acapulco, Mexico. We appreciate what they do very much.”
Tania Peralta, who came with her young daughter and had been waiting in line since 5:30 that morning, received three medical consultations during the free clinic: “First, I went to the dentist. Then I went to the doctor and got a prescription. Finally, I had acupuncture, and I felt very relaxed and comfortable,” she recounted.
Protecting Patient Privacy
I was treated with acupuncture in a small partition that protects your privacy, and the acupuncturist's service was very good.
Tzu Chi’s pop-up partition cubicles, which provided temporary shelter for the survivors of the April 3, 2024, earthquake in Taiwan, have been widely praised by the media. They have been used by Tzu Chi volunteers in the United States since 2022 as a convenient solution for privacy needs during free clinics, as we could see at this event in Santa Ana.
Acupuncture is very popular at Tzu Chi free clinics since it can quickly relieve pain. Therefore, Tzu Chi volunteers prepared an acupuncture area at this clinic, setting up several partition cubicles with zippered doors for additional privacy. Each contained a treatment bed, acupuncture equipment, and a chair for the acupuncturist, who could treat patients away from prying eyes, allowing them to relax and focus on experiencing how acupuncture can help relieve physical pain.
Top-Notch Equipment and Services
Retired dentist Dr. Robert Harley had practiced in Cupertino, California, for 35 years. Having participated in many Tzu Chi free clinic events, he praised their facilities and services: “I really appreciate coming to this clinic. It’s really well done. The equipment is top-notch, and everybody really cares for the patients here. I really appreciate being part of Tzu Chi because it’s such a great organization.” During this clinic, Dr. Harley alleviated one patient’s toothache, extracted a tooth for another, and diagnosed problems for a third, referring her for a root canal or denture. “I gain from the idea of helping people,” he said, glad to serve the public and offer his decades of experience.
I personally like to volunteer because I like to give to the community. And particularly, since I retired, I have more time, and I miss practicing dentistry as I am today, so I appreciate that.
Moreover, each volunteering doctor was glad to serve the public and provide their valuable expertise free of charge. From relieving their pain to easing anxiety through consultations, the clinic patients appreciated the gift of care the volunteering medical professional offered, as these patients couldn’t afford medical attention otherwise.
Seizing the Opportunity to Promote Disaster Preparedness
In recent years, the number of extreme natural disasters has increased. Consequently, Listos California has joined forces with Tzu Chi USA to educate Californians about disaster preparedness and emergency response in the face of earthquakes, wildfires, floods, and other catastrophes.
While the patients were waiting their turn during the free clinic, Tzu Chi volunteers seized the opportunity to interact with the community by distributing leaflets that outlined the five steps to disaster preparedness:
- Get Alerts.
- Make a Plan.
- Pack a Go Bag.
- Build a Stay Box.
- Help Friends, Neighbors, and Family.
They also handed out pocket Disaster Preparedness Cards, which note basic personal information, medical needs, medications, and emergency contact information.
“Thank you so much for your support and service to the community,” Tania Peralta, one of the clinic patients who received this valuable information and a Disaster Preparedness Card, said to the Tzu Chi volunteers who attended to her.
Transforming the Venue Into a Clinic
In 2023, Tzu Chi volunteers distributed fruit, vegetables, and diapers to five schools in Santa Ana, including Madison Elementary School, Davis Elementary School, and Heroes Elementary School. The goal was to help alleviate the financial pressures facing disadvantaged families in the communities the schools serve. The staff of these schools have worked alongside Tzu Chi volunteers on many occasions, and this time, they also came to help out during the free clinic.
Rebecca Churnside, Principal of Heroes Elementary School, praised the Tzu Chi team for how it had managed to transform the venue into a functioning medical facility in less than two hours.
Here at the Boys and Girls Club of Santa Ana, Tzu Chi has miraculously turned this club into a clinic with medical care, dental care, and prescriptions. It is amazing!
Churnside shared that Heroes Elementary School is not only collaborating with Tzu Chi as it distributes food and diaper supplies and provides math tutoring for the school’s students but, looking ahead, will also participate in the disaster preparedness initiative. “We look forward to working with Tzu Chi as part of their rollout to educate five million people in disaster preparedness,” she declared enthusiastically.
Bilingual Volunteers Are a Great Help During the Clinic
Since many Santa Ana residents only speak Spanish, Tzu Chi’s bilingual English and Spanish volunteers were a bridge between doctors and patients at the free clinic. A bilingual volunteer accompanied each patient to help make the visit easier. Martha Patarroyo, a Davis Elementary School staff member, was one of those who volunteered interpretation services.
I have been a volunteer for Tzu Chi since 2016, and all the time, I'm very impressed by the benefits they bring to families.
At this clinic, Patarroyo felt particularly touched when she interpreted for a man who couldn’t read or write, noting how important this was for him: “He had the opportunity to learn in a step-by-step way how to use his medications and avoid mistakes at home.”
Knowing first-hand about all of Tzu Chi’s activities in Santa Ana, the food and diaper distributions, the community clinics, Patarroyo exclaimed, “Thank you from the bottom of our hearts, from the schools, for all this organization brings. Thank you also for the work you do around the world.” She also expressed her appreciation for the disaster preparedness intiative launched by Tzu Chi USA and Listos California, noting “That’s something that people who live in California need to prepare their families for. Thank you, Tzu Chi, for bringing that information to our community, and we’ll be starting classes with the families very soon.”
