She said that she delivered mail to patients because she wanted to volunteer. “Everyone else does. That’s what America is famous for. I wanted to see what it was like so I volunteered to deliver mail to patients. I love it. I get to meet a lot of interesting people and I love doing something for others. I see why Americans are such big volunteers.”
If he hadn’t introduced himself and began talking with her, he would have thought she was a high school kid instead of a medical doctor doing post doc research on brain tumors—gliomas. And, yes, there is a higher incidence of brain tumors in people who use cell phones, or at least her preliminary research seems to indicate a connection between brain tumors and cell phone use. “Especially if the cell phone is low on batteries.”
She came to MD Anderson from China to do research, but she was equally interested in trying out volunteering. “We don’t volunteer in China. No one does it. Its fun. Makes you feel good. Helps you get to know people.” She received her medical training in China, but was never very good at feeling the pulse and making the diagnosis of varieties of heart disease and other maladies. “Some of the older doctors are good at it, but I’m not.”
Her plans: “I will go back to China to practice medicine, continue research after my post doc, and teach others what I’ve learned here. Especially about volunteering.”
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