Having completed each and every step, we are pleased and proud to announce that the pharmacy will have its grand opening on Monday, July 1, 2013! The in-house pharmacy will be another one of health center's great quality measures benefiting our patients on the south shore.  The pharmacy services only South Cove patients with prescriptions written by South Cove providers.

Picture is worth a thousand words, without further ado, here is a sneak peek at South Cove's very own 340B pharmacy!

Welcoming:

WIC Director: Zhanglin Kong graduated from Tufts University Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy.  Prior to South Cove, she worked as a Registered Dietitian at the Greater Boston Chinese Golden Age Center.  As a student, she interned at the South Cove WIC program.  We are glad to have her back, not as an intern anymore, but the director of the department taking over and continuing the previous director, Peggy Leung-Strle's, great work!

Pediatrician: Dong-Xiao Yang is an experienced pediatrician trained in Shanxi Medical University in China.  She immigrated to the US and held positions at the Johns Hopkins School of Hygiene and Public Health and the University of Iowa before completing her pediatric residency at the Texas Tech University Medical Center of El Paso.  She then practiced at Iowa as a board certified pediatrician before accepting a position here at South Cove.  In her spare time, Dr. Yang enjoys swimming, reading, listening to music and gardening. Qiu Ci Li is a licensed Physician Assistant who graduated from the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences in 2011.  She worked at the Tru Medical Walk-in Clinic, Primary Care/Urgent care Division in Fall River.  In addition to English, Ms. Li is fluent in Mandarin, Cantonese and Toisanese. 

Internist/Cardiologist: Dr. Yuheng Ruan has been working at South Cove since 2008 part time, during which he took a fellowship position with the Tufts Medical Center in the specialty of cardiology.  We are happy to have Dr. Ruan come back full time working as an internist and a cardiologist.

Ob/Gyn: Dr. Kristin Bixel went to medical school in UCSF and completed her residency at BIDMC.  Dr. Bixel is also an accomplished rower having been named the Bruin Scholar Athlete on the UCLA woman's rowing team.  Dr. Bixel is expected to join us on July 1, 2013 (not pictured).

Optometrist: Dr. Ying Liu was a successful ophthalmologist in her native China.  She holds MD, MS degrees from China Medical University and also has a PhD in Ophthalmology and Immunology from Kyushu University in Japan.  She completed her optometry study at the New England College of Optometry via the Accelerated Optometric Degree program in 2005.  Before coming to South Cove, she had worked at Sears Optical, Target Optical and also practiced in a private office.

Dentists: Douglas Leung brings with him over 30 years of experience in the practice of general dentistry.  Dr. Leung obtained his DMD degree from Tufts University in 1981.  Upon graduating, he started his own private practice, General Dental Group Practice.  Besides running his own practice successfully, Dr. Leung founded MDCG.org, which organizes dental mission trips from the US to teach Southeast Asian dentists and non-dentists to provide treatment to the poor.  After closing his private office, Dr. Leung wanted to continue practicing dentistry in a pubic health setting and we are fortunate to bring him onboard South Cove where his experience and expertise will greatly benefit our patients.  Dr. Leung enjoys playing tennis, skiing and fishing in his spare time.   In addition to Dr. Leung We also welcome back Kimberly Chang and Janet Cheong who worked at South Cove before and have decided to rejoin the family!  Dr. Chang graduated from BU and worked at South Cove from 1997 to 2002 before relocating out of state.  Dr. Cheong joined South Cove in 2008 and left in 2010.

Pharmacists:  We are thrilled to be opening our own in-house pharmacy at the South Cove Quincy location on 435 Hancock Street.  Registered pharmacists Sandy Chan and Raymond Yu will be running South Cove's brand new pharmacy!  Both Ms. Chan and Mr. Yu went to Northeastern University Bouve College of Health Sciences and graduated the same year in the Class of  2010.  As of that is not enough coincidence, they both worked at Tai Tung Pharmacy, South Cove's contracted pharmacy for our Washington Street Clinic patients, before coming to South Cove.

Hygienist: Winnie Kwong, Class of 2012 from the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, joins her fellow alumni Jennifer Tran and Xue Ying Zhao at South Cove.

Saying Good-bye to:

Peggy Leung-Strle, who was the South Cove WIC Director for the past 5 years, has taken a position with the Massachusetts Department of Public Health. 

Dr. Justin Koh has been a pediatrician at South Cove since 2007 and has decided to go into training for anesthesiology.  We wish him all the best of luck in his residency training and future endeavor.

Dr. Roland Tang came to South Cove in 2003 and what set him apart from many other candidates was his commitment to serving and giving back to the community.  Dr. Tang has been the cornerstone of our pediatric outreach program and the EMR project.  It will be hard to replace him and he will be missed.   

Dr. Kenneth Yeung arrived at South Cove in 2004 and has been an integral part of our busiest department: Adult Medicine, which on average sees over 280 visits a day.  Dr. Yeung is relocating to San Francisco for families reasons. We wish him and his family the smoothest transition from one coast to another!

On Friday, June 7, 2013, we had two specials guests at the Staff Meeting: candidates Suzanne Lee, running for Boston City Councilor representing District 2 and Michelle Wu, running for Boston City Councilor At-Large.  Both candidates attended the meeting to reach out to their fellow Asian Americans as well as to support health center's work.

A life-time educator, Suzanne Lee has dedicated herself to schools and to teaching.  She is also an active member of the community.   Her experiences in the community and as the principal of the Josiah Quincy School in Chinatown gave her first hand knowledge about what the parents and the residents need and want.  She wants to be their voice on the City Council to help bring about change to the district she represents.  Ms. Lee has a long working relationship with South Cove.  During her tenure as the principal of Josiah Quincy School, she and Dr. Roland Tang started a nutritional class at the school teaching 2^nd graders the basics of healthy eating.  The program had its inception in 2003, and it is still running to this day.  She credits Eugene and the health center for the commitment to the program and for making education and outreach an integral part of the South Cove services.

L-R: Dr. Roland Tang, Suzanne Lee and Eugene Welch.

In explaining her reason to run, she stated that she came to US when she was 11 years old, it was the first time she met her father, and had not seen her mother for 6 years.  This was due to the complex immigration law that was in place at the time.  Embracing the American spirit, she firmly believes that if you think something is not working, you should come out and change it.  She knows that change may take time but it can happen.  She cited the landmark laws passed giving women the right to vote, and the workers their minimum wage, these were all hard fought benefits that took time but in the need, the people triumphed.  Chinatown has been around for over 150 years, we have never had anybody directly from the neighborhood to represent us on the City Council; it is time to reverse that.  Ms. Lee promises to work extremely hard to make sure everyone in the district get what they need.

http://www.SuzanneLeeBoston.com

A graduate of Harvard University and Harvard Law School, Michelle Wu is the daughter of Taiwanese immigrants, and the oldest of 4 children. Family has been the driving force of her life; she grew up watching her parents navigate language and cultural barriers while pursuing the American Dream. She is running because of her parents who gave up everything they had in Taiwan to come the US at a young age. They settled in Chicago and worked very hard to adjust to the new environment and at the same time, provide for the family.  She first came to Boston for college and while attending school, she also volunteered and taught citizenship classes at Asian American Civic Association in Chinatown. 

Michelle Wu and Eugene Welch.

From those classes, she met so many who were doctors, engineers or were well established in their home country but sacrificed what they had to come to the US in order to put their children in a position to live a much better life than they did.  Her parents' sacrifice instilled in her the belief that each generation is responsible for making the next generations' lives a better one by giving them the opportunities to excel.  Once a small restaurant owner herself, she understands how complex it could be navigating the permitting and licenses requirements by the city and having worked under Boston's Mayor Menino, she witnessed how city guardians can help shape the city and be a catalyst for change.  Though Chicago may be her childhood home, she has fallen in love with Boston and made the city her home residing in South End with her husband and sister.  As a City Councillor, she aims to help broaden and increase access to the government for the Asian American community and the whole of Boston. 

http://michelleforboston.com/

Disclaimer: South Cove Community Health Center does not endorse either candidate.  The health center, however, does advocate for voting among Asian Americans.  Making the candidates available to speak to our staff was aimed to help them make informed decisions.

Last year, as a way to celebrate the health center's milestone and the lives of many that the health center has touched, an essay contest was announced.  The Foundation, which provides funding for the scholarships also made a decision to have the essay contest be a yearly fixture for the next 10 years through 2021.

  

L-R: Stanley Wong, Madeline Wan, Dr. Steve Tang, Daniel Lei, Eugene Welch and Kei Ving Wong.

Over the four decades, South Cove has served many multi-generational families and played a big part in the well being of these families.  With the essay contest, we wanted to achieve two goals: 1 to hear from their perspective the impact of South Cove and 2. to give back to the community and the future generation.  We are pleased to announce five winners this year and share with our readers their winning essays.  Again, congratulations to Stephanie Choi, Daniel Lei, Henry Tsang and Kei Ving Wong and Stanley Wong. 

Stephanie Choi

a Clinic, a Family, a Hope

South Cove Community Health Center - this was a place that I did not know its existence until two years ago, as I moved to America. This is the one of the few places in America that I have seen so many Asians and people like me, whose first language is not English. This is the place where I feel bounded to the society, and feel confident in speaking Cantonese. This is the place that provokes my interest in medical field, and my dream of becoming one of those bilingual doctors to help those in need.

When thinking about how South Cove has impacted me and my family, I am surprised about how much I can think of. South Cove has been the first and the only health clinic I have ever gone to in America for my regular checkups and other health-related inquiries. Living in Natick, getting a ride to here is quite a challenge, notably since I don't have a license and a car. Therefore, whenever I have a doctor appointment, I need to go with my aunt, who also works in South Cove, early in the morning and skip my school for that. I will have to linger around the clinic the whole day, in other words, got stuck in the clinic until my aunt finishes her work and brings me back home. Fortunately, the doctors and all the staffs are genial to lend me a helping hand by letting me to stay in the cafeteria. They chat with me, help me as much as they can, and stay with me if they can. I feel that I am part of this big family, especially since I am always here with them. Not only do I receive medical assistance from them, I also learn many valuable lessons - from the way to adapt to the living here, to the advices on college preparation. They are willing to help me through my hardships and talk to me about my future; even they are not any blood-related relatives of mine. Their emotional support is my biggest gift I received, and I do not feel alone at all staying in South Cove. There is always one of them around you, trying to help you in every way he or she is able to.

As I have said, I plan to pursue my interest in the medical field, and I would like to be a doctor when I grow up. The bilingual doctors here in South Cove did impact my goal of being a doctor, as I witnessed and experienced how it feels like being a patient treated by a bilingual doctor. It is not something incredibly fabulous that I have to proclaim to everyone, but because of how minor yet influential it can be to a helpless patient who cannot communicate with the doctor due to the language obstacles. I remember seeing an old lady saying thanks to one of the staffs about how South Cove had helped her a lot by providing bilingual doctors, as she was transferred from another clinic which has no one that speaks Chinese and can help her. Imagine how you would have felt like being that old lady. Hopeless? Desperate?  I bet she was hopeless and desperate, trying to express her feeling to the doctor whom cannot understand her at all. Being a bilingual doctor is more than just being a doctor. It is about providing extra help for translation and extra emotional support to the ones who are new to the country, new to English and new to everything. Medical support is a must in everyone's life, and because of how pivotal health is in one's life, getting suitable and significant medical consultancy and support are especially important. This is why South Cove has always been important to me, and all of us.

Besides of what I have experienced as a patient, my experience as a volunteer in South Cove has also impacted me and somehow relieved my nostalgia. Being a volunteer, I would help at different festivals and events, which are mostly Chinese tradition-related events. I remembered volunteering at the mid-autumn festival celebration event, where I helped setting up the booth, organizing the game for the children to participate in, and handing out presents to the kids. The joyful aura surrounding the event filled my heart with delight - delight of being a part of this community and being able to celebrate such festivals together. It was the only place where I celebrated mid-autumn festival out of the countries, as well as many other traditional events like Chinese New Year, when the dragon dance team will be invited over to perform. The best thing I like about South Cove is how it makes you feel like you are part of their family. The feeling of ethnic unity and coherency is what makes you stay and come.

What South Cove has given me cannot be all written down in this essay, as it still influences me every time I visit it. Nonetheless, the one thing can be sured of is that I feel blessed and lucky being part of this community, and meeting all the staffs here in South Cove. It impacted my view on Asian community in America, my passion of being a bilingual doctor, and my feeling of ethnic coherency. I am thankful for what I have experienced there, and what they have provided me. The support from South Cove helped me to adapt to the new environment, and I wish to become part of them as I grow up, giving back my medical knowledge, and giving out a helping hand to the others.

Daniel Lei

From my late childhood to my early adolescence, I attended the Brighton/Allston After School Enrichment program otherwise known as B.A.S.E. Although it was not all sunshine and rainbows, B.A.S.E has impacted my life in a multitude of positive ways.

My three years of attendance at B.A.S.E built a solid foundation in academic subjects such as English and math. Upon enrolling in B.A.S.E in the spring of 2006, I had poor writing and grammar skills. Over the course of that summer, my skills improved through copious amounts of work and academic support. During the following school year I was accepted into the advanced program, which I had been declined admission to the previous year. It was also at B.A.S.E where I practiced public speaking by memorizing and reciting poems. This was helpful upon entering Boston Latin School where from the 7^th to 10^th grade, one is required to memorize a piece and recite it in front of their classmates.

Besides academics, B.A.S.E is also a positive environment that teaches proper etiquette which I lacked before attending this program. Through their behavioral discipline system simply known as time out, one must serve their time for any uncivil actions they have committed. Over the years I have accumulated some time myself and through this disciplinary action I have learned to conduct myself better. Also the staff consists of positive role models who set examples for not only me, but for the rest of the students to follow.

Another way B.A.S.E has affected my life is by giving me priceless memories. Growing up as a first generation American born Chinese, my parents were always working and never had time to do things with me. B.A.S.E however provides many activities during both the school year and the summer. The school year is filled with many interesting and creative projects while the summer is full of projects, field trips, and weekly trips to the park and Josiah Quincy School. An unforgettable experience is the annual trip to the harbor islands where we explored Fort Warren on Georges Island and had mock battles on the top of Spectacle Island.

The initial purpose for my enrollment into B.A.S.E was to boost my academic performance in which they excelled, helping me get into the advanced program and into Boston Latin School. Not only have they accomplished the initial purpose, but they have also done so much more, such as teaching proper etiquette and giving me experiences I would not have otherwise, which has had a positive impact in helping me develop into the person I am today.

Henry Tsang

"I left China-my home, my life-because I knew there were many more opportunities here in the United States for you," my mother always used to say to me in Chinese. Of course, when I was a child, I didn't quite understand. What was so special about the United States? Why did my mother leave her comfortable life in China to endure many misfortunes and obstacles in a foreign land? Throughout the years, I have 

L-R: Eugene Welch, Henry Tsang with his mother, Wendy

come to know the meaning of my mother's saying. As a young adult in America, I now realize that I have a much brighter future here than if I were raised in China. But my mother did not pave the way for my future without difficulty; when she immigrated to the United States in 1993, she barely spoke any English. Thrust into a foreign society, she had nowhere to turn. She would stay up late, every night, studying English vocabulary, and would perpetually pester her friends about the definitions of certain words. Though my mother felt misplaced in almost all aspects of America society, she found solace in one place-South Cove Community Health Center.

          When faced with any medical problem, my mother was always able to turn to South Cove. The employees and doctors at South Cove always made sure that she had the best medical care possible, and helped her with all of her inquiries in her native language-Chinese. In an environment where she was barely able to communicate, South Cove became a haven; in a primarily Anglophone society, South Cove was a blessing. It is clear that my life would be much different without South Cove's influence. If South Cove did not exist, my mother would never have been able to get adequate medical treatment and guidance in a language she could understand, and it is without a doubt that my mother would never have been able to fully adapt to American society.

          However, South Cove has not only helped my mother settle in the United States; it has been the place to which my family directs all of our medical concerns. When we were young, my mother would always take us to South Cove, and not any other clinic. In fact, when I was born, my mother made sure that I got all of my shots at South Cove, and not anywhere else! At South Cove, my brother and I always got the medical treatment that we deserved, without any difficulty or hassles. Whether I had a common cold, the flu, or pneumonia, South Cove was always there to provide the best medical advice and worked extremely hard to make sure that I recuperated well.

          When my grandparents arrived in the United States in 2000, driven by the prospect of an improved quality of life, they knew absolutely no English at all. While my mother was busy raising my brother and me, they were helpless in America, which was so different from their habitual milieu. But South Cove solved many of their problems. At South Cove, my grandparents were able to receive not only the best medical advice, but also the best life advice for new Chinese immigrants. Through the South Cove community, my grandparents learned about all of the government aid and elderly benefits that the United States had to offer to senior citizens. South Cove helped my grandparents assimilate to daily life in America; without the generous aid of the community, my grandparents would never have been able to enjoy life in America as they do now.

          The greatest impact of South Cove, however, is not the guidance that it gave my mother, my brother and me, and my grandparents, but the opportunity of economic stability that it granted my family. During the 2008 recession, when my mother lost her job at The First Marblehead Corporation, a company at which she had been working for many years, she was devastated. She was unfamiliar with the job search project, especially because she was placed in her position at The First Marblehead Corporation after finishing vocational training. My mother looked for work that would best utilize her ability to speak three dialects of Chinese: mandarin, Cantonese, and Toisanese. After searching for a few weeks, my mother was ready to give up-she had been looking for a job almost every day. Suddenly, however, my mother discovered an open position at South Cove and was able to work as a receptionist. In a time of economic need, South Cove was able to provide financial aid. It granted my family the economic stability that we needed during the recession. My mother was elated to finally find work that she enjoyed, and in which she could use the skills that she had amassed throughout her professional life. After working for a few weeks at the Washington Street clinic, my mother transferred over to the South Street clinic, and up until now, has been working as a receptionist and secretary in the Bone Density and Mammography department. I don't know what my mother would have done if she did not find her job at South Cove!

          South Cove means more to me and my family than just a clinic; for my mother, it was a safe haven; for my brother and me, it was an outstanding hospital; for my grandparents, it was an enlightening and guiding community. The South Cove community was always there for every generation of my family, from my grandparents down to me. In fact, I still go to South Cove for periodic dentist appointments! I can't imagine how different my life would be without South Cove. It is safe to say that South Cove was a gateway to my family's happiness in the United States, a window of opportunity for my mother. I am forever indebted to the sacrifice that my mother has made by coming to America. Without South Cove, it would never have been possible!

Kei Ving Wong

A blurry world, a chipped tooth, and longing for sense of community, this is how I entered United States. The greatest change in my life occurred when I got my first pair of glasses. The world became more interesting. I was not aware that I needed glasses until I had my first physical checkup at South Cove Community Health Center. South Cove enriched my life with the free and reliable health care as well as a sense of belonging.

In Malaysia, I never had any formal health care such as annual physical checkups and my own health record. South Cove is the only Asian health center that provided bilingual and bicultural services. I felt comfortable and culturally connected when I was assigned to a pediatrician from Singapore, which is right next to Malaysia. I felt comfortable communicating with my doctor in my primary language. With South Cove scheduled checkups, all my required vaccines were up to date for college. Some of my friends were caught off guard because they are not patients of South Cove Community Health Center. 

Another significant benefit from South Cove was the free operation on my front tooth. I fell off the sofa and broke part of my front tooth when I was 8 years old. The surgery to fix the tooth wasn't available in Malaysia. I was not confident with my appearance. Before I became a patient of South Cove, I had my surgery on the front tooth at a small clinic in New York without any follow up. When I was 16 years old, my upper lip was swollen to the point that I had to drink water with a straw. It went away the next day so I didn't think too much of it. Then 2 years later my upper lip was swollen again and it affected my whole face. I felt like a walking watermelon. It happened in the November of my senior year, at a time when I couldn't afford to be sick. I was overwhelmed with college search and essays. Fortunately through South Cove I received surgery and follow ups at Tufts. It turned out that the New York clinic didn't thoroughly clean the root and it caused inflammation and tremendous bone loss. After a speedy recovery I was able to resume my college search. Now I can smile with confidence.

I came from Malaysia when I was eleven years old, with limited English skills. I struggled in school as an immigrant. I was introduced to Brighton/Allston After School Enrichment Program (BAS E) in my junior year. Working with the students and teachers as a volunteer at BAS E, helped improve my communication and interpersonal skills. Relating to the immigrant students came naturally because of my own experience. Working with the students reminded me of when I was struggling with the English language, I was afraid to talk to people. I encouraged the students to speak up and reassure them that it is ok to make mistakes. BASE provided a confidential environment that allowed me to open up myself and gain life advices.

In September I will enroll in College of the Holy Cross with a confidence smile. Even though my school is in Worcester, I know South Cove is only a train ride away. Additionally, if I encounter adjustment issues I know I can confide with the BASE teachers. I want to major in chemistry because I want to be able to contribute to the health care field. I hope one day I can give back to the Asian community that nurtured me.

Stanley Wong

          My grandfather gently prodded my side, waking me up on our daily trek to Allston. I leered through the scratched up window, scanning for any sign of the enigmatic train in the underground subway system. How did it get there? Why wasn't it being used? These were the questions my six year old mind asked daily. Consequently, I remembered that the train was an indicator that my destination was near. Where was this six year old city-kid going with his grandfather on this sweltering July morning? I felt the train screech to the halt, not unlike the sirens from the Odyssey. Only, my destination was a summer enrichment program for kids.

          Everyday I attended this program, most of the time despising how early I had to rise for this opportunity. This program, BASE, changed my life by introducing me to new people. To be honest, it's difficult to recollect specific memories from so long ago. As I close my eyes and ruminate, I can remember smiles and cereal. Smiles and cereal you ask? The smiles were the first thing I was greeted with everyday in BASE. The smiling faces of the staff and fellow youngsters provided a warm second home, a place where I could belong. What of the cereal? I can remember Joshua, a boy whom I would later encounter in my local church, one day bringing in a box of cereal to share with his friends. I can't remember the brand, but I do recollect the joy of knowing that there was a group of sharing, caring and smiling people awaiting me every day at BASE. This made me appreciate waking up early and going downtown with my grandfather.

          Not only did I meet new people, but I also became familiar with my city. With my parents working long hours in their home based daycare center, connubial incursions to the inner city were severely limited. This particular situation was remedied by the frequent fieldtrips to various hotspots. We went to the commons, and even the playground (my favorite part). These fieldtrips served to enrich my understanding of the world based upon a broadened scope and everlasting friendships. As these fieldtrips became more frequent as the program progressed, I no longer slept on the train. The attentive six-year old Stanley sat straight, bursting with excitement and anticipation of the promise a new day at BASE would bring. Always marking the enigmatic, even spooky, abandoned train in the subway system, I loved this summer program.

          Finally, this program would not only impact my life, but also my brother's. My mother observed the success I attained, due to this program, and promptly sent my little brother, Matthew, when she saw fit. Sometimes I ask him what his experience was like at BASE, to remember and reflect upon what mine was. He told me of the homework aid he received, alleviating his stress. He told me of the fun board games and friends he made at BASE. When he told me these things I remember what my experience was like at BASE. One day I decided to visit the building. As I stepped down the small door I was surprised how much and how little the place has changed. It was if I stood in a miniature version of the place of my childhood. Of course, the building didn't change. I grew taller and time shaped how I saw things. Instantly, a torrent of memories flooded to the surface of my mind. I recollected how BASE moved to Brighton. I remembered more friends like Kent, whom I would later meet in first grade. I remembered the teenaged staff that would play with us. Remembering all these things, I smiled. I was glad that I didn't obviate these precious memories. I then pivoted to my little brother, and saw myself in him.