Edit’s Note,
In a white coat, he crosses oceans to bring care where it is needed most.
Cultural Express launches Healing Journeys, featuring Dr. Charles Hsu, President of the North American Taiwanese Medical Association and leader of its international medical mission team. Through words and images, he shares stories of healing, humanity, and hope.
At a dental clinic on Nevis, a teenage boy arrived with a badly loosened front tooth after a bicycle accident.
Extracting it might have cost him more than a tooth—it could have taken away his confidence to smile.
Dr. Darren Machule used our newly donated dental X-ray unit, then splinted the tooth in place.
Dr. Charles Hsu and wife with Dr. Darren Machule (far right) and fellow dentists.
When the boy smiled again, I knew we had brought more than medical care—we had shown him that he was not forgotten.
Eighteen Aboard Love Abroad
This June, I led an 18-member international medical mission from across the United States to St. Kitts and Nevis, a Caribbean nation of fewer than 50,000 people.
Our team included five physicians, four dentists, a pharmacist, an acupuncturist, and nursing and administrative volunteers.
The twin-island nation sits like two emeralds in the Caribbean, southeast of Miami and at roughly the same latitude as the Philippines. Independent since 1983, it has long maintained close ties with Taiwan.
Tourism drives the economy, yet medical staff and equipment remain limited. As word of our mission spread, residents arrived early and waited patiently for care. Their hopeful faces reminded us why we had crossed the ocean.
White Coats Caring Hearts
Across both islands, we treated 605 patients: 419 in internal medicine, pediatrics, and gynecology; 128 in dental care; and 58 in hospital settings.
Dr. Charles Hsu shares preventive health tips with waiting patients
We also donated more than $20,000 in dental X-ray equipment, medical supplies, and medications to support continued care after our departure.
We also treated an elderly patient with years of joint pain. After Dr. Tony Lee’s injection, the patient stood and walked a few steps without crutches—a small but powerful moment of hope.
Doctors United Prevention First
During our mission, Prime Minister Dr. Terrance Drew personally welcomed our team, with local media on hand to cover the visit.
A longtime internist and primary care physician who has served in both public and private practice, he understands the country’s medical needs firsthand.
Our conversation quickly turned to health. He stressed that clean water, regular exercise, and healthy eating are essential, while obesity, hypertension, diabetes, and mental health require shared action.
At the Prime Minister’s residence, we spoke not in slogans, but as physicians focused on one goal: making prevention work so people can live healthier, more dignified lives.
Oceans Bridged Friendship Endures
On Nevis, Premier Mark Brantley and Health Minister Jahnel Nisbett welcomed our team. We toured public medical and dental facilities and spoke with local providers about their needs.
These conversations reminded us that lasting aid goes beyond a single clinic—it grows through trust, shared knowledge, and continued partnership.
Before our departure, the Prime Minister and his wife, officials from both islands, Taiwan Ambassador Michael Lin-Wen Tao and his wife, and our entire team gathered for a farewell dinner.
The evening reflected the deep friendship linking St. Kitts and Nevis, Taiwan, and the United States—and our shared hope to meet again
Flame Trees Home Beckons
In June, St. Kitts and Nevis was lush and green, framed by turquoise seas, white surf, and palms swaying in the island breeze.
The flamboyant trees in fiery bloom reminded me of Taiwan’s summer campuses, where graduation songs carry both farewell and hope. Seeing them so far from home felt like seeing home again.
The islands boast more than 30 mango varieties, including Nevis’s prized “Amory Polly,” creamy, fragrant, and nearly fiberless.
Fresh coconuts, guavas, and giant papayas also brought back childhood memories of Taiwan.
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Seafood anchors the local table—lobster, red snapper, and mahi-mahi served fresh. Grilled lobster with garlic butter, enjoyed at sunset by the sea, became one of the journey’s most memorable tastes.
Taiwanese Flavors Island Warmth
To our surprise, Frigate Bay is home to Idea in a Cup, a Taiwanese café owned by an Irvine resident. It serves bubble tea, fruit tea, braised beef noodles, popcorn chicken, and mango-taro shaved ice.
The manager, a local woman, studied at National Dong Hwa University in Hualien for seven years and greeted us warmly in fluent Mandarin.
After days on the road, a bowl of beef noodles and a cup of bubble tea brought Taiwan close again. Food carries more than flavor—it carries memory, culture, and connection.
Love Remains Care Returns
This mission was more than medical service—it was a journey of compassion and discovery.
Though modest in means, the islanders met life with gratitude, optimism, and kindness. Their smiles, warm handshakes, and heartfelt embraces remain with us.
We believe medicine knows no borders and compassion no race. When expertise becomes action, kindness crosses languages, cultures, and oceans.
As our plane left the green islands behind, we carried home their smiles and trust. We left medicine, equipment, and a promise: wherever people are in need, compassionate hearts will answer again.
About the Author
Dr. Charles Hsu serves as a family physician, educator, and Medical clinic supervisor at Kaiser Permanente Southern California.
For years, he has led multinational medical teams to underserved regions across the Caribbean, Central and South America, and Africa, putting “Healing Without Borders” into action.
He believes medicine is more than treating illness—it is humanitarian care that crosses borders, cultures, and languages. Each mission brings hope and dignity to those who need it most.