--Doctor Gene Grace Checks Eye Disease for Our General Advisor Chai Zemin in Beijing
Medical advisor of USCF Doctor Gene Grace and general advisor of the USCF Chai Zemin are old friends of many years. They knew each other many years ago in America. China and the United States built up friendship with each of them since 1979, and at the same period, Mr. Chai Zemin was appointed as the first Chinese ambassador in US. In the autumn of 1980, namely the next year of his prefecture, invited by Dr. Gene Grace, the Director of the Lions Club International, Ambassador Chai came to his home as an important guest. For their profound friendship, Dr. Gene Grace came to China for his visit, reviewing the mysterious land and communicating with many Chinese people. It has been 20 years when their profound friendship was rooted in both of their heats, since the fall of 1980.
Spring left and winter comes. How time fly! More than 20 years have past. Mr. Zhou Wenzhong who worked as the interpreter, accompanied Ambassador Chai to North Carolina 20 years ago is the current vice Minister of China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. And Ambassador Chai’s voice and expression remain fresh in Doctor Gene’s memory. Due to the fatigue of this long period, Ambassador Chai Zemin, the general advisor of USCF, developed serious eye disease, particularly the severe pathological changes of his right eye. Once hearing the bad news, 77-year-old Doctor Gene Grace, his old and loyal friend, came to Beijing from Shenyang by night train as soon as possible, ignoring the severe chill at night of this winter on December 17, 2004. He went to Beijing Tongren Hospital to make a detailed check for Ambassador Chai’s eyes immediately without a minute’s stop, once getting off the train in the next early morning. Famous for his book and experience in ophthalmology, Doctor Gene Grace is the president of Complete Eye Care of America. With his excellent insights, and practice & study during his lifetime, it is not easy to judge him as a 77 years old senior. After his careful examination and repeated check-ups for Ambassador Chai, Dr. Gene Grace advised that Ambassador Chai’s right eye have pathological changes due to his operation operated in America 20 years ago for the retina falling off. But that operation was successful because it doesn’t take any trouble. It is a delight thing that the abnormity of Ambassador Chai’s right eye doesn’t influence his left eye. He putting forward the proposal, “ Keep his left eye and Cure his right one” based on his diagnosis above.
The old close friends shook hands with each other tightly and intimately before their farewell separation, saying best wishes to each other and expressing their hail-fellow sensations.
Larry Lee, president of USCF and Miss Summer Hu, special assistant accompanied Ambassador Chai from start to the end of the diagnoses. After all the work for diagnoses, Doctor Gene Grace wanted to return to Shenyang for his work there without rest on that day. President Larry Lee warmly invited him to be in Beijing for a rest at that night, but Doctor Gene Grace insisted on going back to Ophthalmic Center of Shenyang Medicine University for his duties there. Finally, President Larry Lee and Mrs. Lee had to see him off at the Beijing train station in the mid night.
Doctor Gene works hard and even forgets to eat and have a rest for both his work and friendship. It is valuable for us both American and Chinese Youngsters to study his spirit. He is creditable for his fame as “The contemporary Doctor Bethune”, setting a good example for each staff of USCF.
