Roland Peter Brown

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Roland Peter Brown (5 June 1926 – 16 August 2019) was an American physician who spent the majority of his career in Taiwan.

Life and career[]

Roland Peter Brown was born in Hebei, Republic of China, on 5 June 1926,[1][2] where his father, a Mennonite religious leader and physician, was based.[3] Brown was the youngest of five siblings; his two brothers and two sisters all died young.[3][4] When his parents, Henry and Maria Brown, were taken as prisoners of war in 1941, in the midst of the Second Sino-Japanese War, Brown was sent to North Newton, Kansas, to live with relatives.[1][2] Brown enrolled at Bethel College,[1][2] and earned his medical qualifications in 1952, graduating from the University of Chicago School of Medicine.[5] He settled in Hualien City, Taiwan, in 1953, and became a founding member of the first Mountain Tour Medical Team, which sought to reach patients in remote areas of Taiwan.[3] In 1954, Brown established the in Hualien.[3][6] The hospital began with 35 beds and charged indigenous and disadvantaged people NT$1 per visit during the first eight years of its operation.[7][8] While Brown worked at the Mennonite Christian Hospital, he was never paid a salary.[8] He also inaugurated several medical and social initiatives, among them milk stations for students, and funding for the care of premature infants, people with leukemia, and people who relied on dialysis.[8] By 1968, a volunteer at the Mennonite Christian Hospital,  [zh], diagnosed Brown with rheumatism.[9] Brown retired from his administrative position at Mennonite Christian Hospital in 1990,[9] but continued the practice of medicine in Taiwan until 1994.[3]

Brown married his wife, Sophie Schmidt, in 1948. She was one of three cofounders of the Hualien Christian School.[10][11]

Legacy[]

In 1991, the Taiwanese American Foundation honored Brown with its Social Service and Science Award.[9] In a subsequent speech, Brown observed, "Doctors in Taiwan often feel America is closer than Hualien."[6] This statement drew attention to the shortage of medical personnel in rural Taiwan.[3] Peter Huang was inspired to return to Taiwan and lead the Mennonite Christian Hospital.[9] In 1995,[12] President of the Republic of China Lee Teng-hui bestowed upon Brown the Order of Brilliant Star with Violet Grand Cordon, and Brown received several other prizes for his work in Taiwan.[1][13]

Brown spent his retirement years in North Newton, Kansas, with his wife Sophie, who died in 2010.[1][2] In 2011, Brown's name was proposed for commemoration on a sculpture to honor expatriates based in Taiwan.[14] The art piece took form as a metal tree by Liu Po-chun, which featured the name of Gian Carlo Michelini, among others.[15][16] In 2017, Roland Brown published the memoir Healing Hands: Four Decades of Relief and Mission in Taiwan.[17] He died in Newton, Kansas, on 16 August 2019, aged 93.[1][2] The rapper Dwagie released a song commemorating Brown's career in Taiwan in April 2021.[18]

References[]

  1. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f Robinson, Laurie Oswald (9 October 2019). "Mission worker leaves healthcare legacy in Taiwan". Mennonite Mission Network. Retrieved 22 October 2019.
  2. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e "Roland Brown". The Kansan. 22 August 2019. Retrieved 22 October 2019.
  3. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f Everington, Keoni (19 August 2019). "American doctor who served eastern Taiwan for 40 years dies at age 93". Taiwan News. Retrieved 22 October 2019.
  4. ^ 吳, 方芳. "《山高水長——薄柔纜父子兩代的中國情" (in Chinese). Retrieved 22 October 2019.
  5. ^ "Founder of Hualien's Mennonite Christian Hospital dies at the age of 93". China Post. 19 August 2019. Retrieved 22 October 2019.
  6. ^ Jump up to: a b Chen, Yi-fan (26 August 2019). "Dr Roland Peter Brown, Medical Guardian of Taiwan Aborigines, Passed Away at 93". Taiwan Church News. Translated by Wolfe, Peter. Archived from the original on 9 September 2019. Retrieved 22 October 2019.
  7. ^ "Taiwan group celebrates 60 years of medical ministry". Mennonite Mission Network. 1 October 2008. Retrieved 24 October 2019.
  8. ^ Jump up to: a b c "President Ma meets Dr. Roland P. Brown, Founder of Mennonite Christian Hospital in Hualien". Office of the President, Republic of China. 31 October 2014. Retrieved 22 October 2019.
  9. ^ Jump up to: a b c d Yeh, Lindy (17 October 2001). "Surgeon says caring as important as curing". Taipei Times. Retrieved 22 October 2019.
  10. ^ "Sophie L. Brown". The Kansan. 8 September 2010. Retrieved 23 October 2019.
  11. ^ Allison, DeVonna R. (8 September 2010). "Remembering Sophie Brown". Mennonite Mission Network. Retrieved 23 October 2019.
  12. ^ 花, 孟璟 (18 August 2019). "沒錢看病「都算我的帳」！門諾創院院長薄柔纜美國逝世". Liberty Times (in Chinese). Retrieved 18 April 2021.
  13. ^ 周, 恬弘. "為主服務的忠心良僕——花蓮門諾醫院前院長薄柔纜醫師" (in Chinese). Retrieved 22 October 2019.
  14. ^ "Government set to erect monument for expatriate heroes". Taipei Times. 15 January 2011. Retrieved 22 October 2019.
  15. ^ "Taiwan honors foreign friends with tree sculpture". Taiwan Today. 19 December 2011. Retrieved 8 October 2019.
  16. ^ Lin, Hermia (17 May 2011). "We wish to thank thee with this tree". Central News Agency. Retrieved 8 October 2019.
  17. ^ "5 things you should do this week". The Kansan. 8 August 2017. Retrieved 25 March 2020.
  18. ^ "靠教會生活費補貼度日！ 大支創歌感念薄柔纜為東部醫療奉獻40年". Apple Daily (in Chinese). 17 April 2021. Retrieved 18 April 2021.
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