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The Heart
Lotus Ward
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| (Translated by Joy Hsiao) |
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The Heart Lotus Ward is the palliative care
ward or hospice which was established in August 1996 in the Tzu
Chi General Hospital in Hualien, Taiwan. It employs medical professionals,
social workers, volunteers and religious personnel who provide
services that are centered around the patients and their families.
These include medical services as well as physical and spiritual
care and guidance. The ward was designed to provide a home-like
atmosphere. The rooms are equipped with comfortable electric beds,
family rooms, dining rooms that allow patients to cook their favorite
foods, and rooms where family members may rest, as well as chapels,
prayer rooms, etc.
"The heart is like the bright moon,
which shines on the purity of the earth. The lotus is like the
bodhi tree, which blooms with flowers of wisdom in the mortal
world." This is the Chinese couplet hung by the entrance
of the Lotus of the Heart Ward. It represents Master Cheng Yen's
wishes and blessings for the patients.
