“…compassionate in everything he does.”
Cardiology
Fresno
While many people are vacationing on a beach somewhere, Dr. Chun Wai Chan is training “barefoot doctors” in China.
Kumin, China is a province so remote, people are lucky to see a real doctor even once a year. Fresno cardiologist Dr. Chun Wai Chan organizes volunteers to travel to China to perform needed surgeries and train local health workers called “barefoot doctors.” “Correcting a minor birth defect transforms these kids. They’ll smile for the first time ever,” says Dr. Chan.
Dr. Chan knows all about transformation. He was raised in an orphanage in China, and against all odds, came to the United States and dedicated his life to healing.
He attended Princeton University and Harvard Medical School. Upon completion of his training, he sought a way to return the many acts of kindness he received on his own journey. “Our team performs minor surgeries like closing cleft palates or removing extra fingers and toes. It makes a world of difference to these children,” according to Dr. Chan. Friends and associates have been deeply touched by Dr. Chan’s commitment and enthusiasm, and some have been moved to join him on his missions of healing.
“He’s very compassionate in everything he does,” said Fresno’s Physician-in-Chief Varoujan Altebarmakian, MD. “We’ve always thought of him as a real life hero.”