Women can better fight disease if they know more about their bodies

'Cure sometimes. Treat often. Comfort always." This renowned quote in the medical field has been embraced as a standard for practice by countless healthcare professionals worldwide for decades.

However, Tan Xianjie, a Chinese doctor with more than 30 years of experience, has added a new phrase: "Educate forever".

The gynecologist at the prestigious Peking Union Medical College Hospital usually sees patients and performs surgical procedures during the day. However, in his free time, he dedicates himself to sharing with the public scientific knowledge related to women's health conditions. He explains medical processes in books, offers advice on social media and tells doctor-patient stories on TV programs.

Words related to women's health such as "menstruation", "uterus" and "vagina" are frequently spoken by him, which may occasionally cause slight embarrassment in public, but Tan remains unfazed. The gray-haired doctor says that he aspires to provide more women with knowledge about their health and assist them in disease prevention.

"A doctor, regardless of his or her level of expertise, can only attend to a limited number of patients and perform a limited number of operations. But a popular-science book, an engaging lecture or an informative video can spread health-related information to a much wider audience," Tan says.

He first resolved to become a doctor because of his mother. Born into a big rural family in Southwest China's Chongqing municipality, he suffered the tragic loss of his mother when he was 12 years old. He was attending a county boarding school, and visits back home were infrequent.

"My family, concerned about my studies, didn't tell me of my mother's passing until I went back during winter vacation," Tan recalls. "Upon hearing the devastating news, tears streamed down my face and I even lost consciousness. When I woke up, grief overwhelmed me and I continued to weep for my mother until I was overcome by exhaustion."

Since then, Tan made up his mind to pursue a career in medicine. He dedicated himself to academic excellence, attending the best local senior middle school and university and securing a position at Peking Union Medical College Hospital, China's premier medical institution.

He chose to be a gynecologist, as his mother had passed away from endometrial cancer, a form of gynecological cancer. He said his career choice was a promise he had made to his beloved mother.

Tan has provided treatment to nearly 200,000 patients over the past 30 years. What left a lasting impression on him was a patient who did not pull through.

In 2013, Tan admitted a patient with recurrent rectal cancer that had spread to her reproductive organs. Several hospitals had declined to perform surgical treatment due to the great risks involved. The patient's condition was critical, and it was uncertain if she would survive for more than a week.

Initially hesitant about surgery, Tan changed his mind after learning that the patient had a 10-year-old child and wished to live longer to bid farewell. Eventually, he operated. Unfortunately, three months later, the patient passed away.

"Although I couldn't cure her completely, I managed to extend her life by 96 days, so she could spend time with her child," Tan says.

Tan specializes in cancer treatment partly because his mother died of endometrial cancer, a disease that is curable if detected early. He says that if his mother or other family members had some medical knowledge, she would have sought medical attention when the initial symptoms showed and would not have passed away so early.

After finishing a program of study at Harvard University in 2012, Tan dedicated himself to sharing scientific information on women's health while simultaneously completing his clinical work in Beijing.

Tan has a winning formula for popularizing science, combining content in different formats. He has written a series of books, including Zigong Qingshi and Huashuo Shengming Zhigong, styled after martial arts novels, to introduce medical knowledge related to the uterus. He has also skillfully edited hospital anecdotes into a stand-up comedy that not only entertained the audience with laughter but also emphasized the importance of timely medical examinations. In addition, he has frequently mentioned the story of his mother in public lectures, stressing that, behind every patient, there is a family.

In March of last year, Tan shared on social media his successful case of removing over 1,000 uterine fibroids for a single patient, which gained widespread coverage from major media outlets.

His efforts have garnered a substantial online following, with his articles being hailed as trustworthy and reader-friendly, as well as resulting in numerous outpatient visits. Tan has always been the last doctor to leave the consulting rooms during shifts.

When he started engaging in science popularization, it was not common for Chinese doctors to participate in such activities. In the hospital's evaluation system, science popularization was not considered as important as surgical quality and patient numbers, and so it could not significantly contribute to a doctor's professional reputation.

However, Tan remained determined to continue and his perseverance has paid off with recognition from the public.

He says he once received a thank-you pennant from a woman at the hospital, who was not his patient. After watching Tan's lecture on cervical cancer, she decided to go for an examination and discovered that she had an early stage of the disease. Thanks to timely surgery, her life continued as usual thereafter. As a result, she expressed her immense gratitude toward the doctor.

This experience has once again reminded Tan of the significance of science popularization, which is "both a professional duty and a social responsibility for doctors".

Tan feels pleased that in recent years the country has increasingly emphasized the importance of science popularization, placing it on a par with sci-tech innovation. Furthermore, an increasing number of medical professionals have also started engaging in promoting health science.

He proposed the idea of medical colleges offering courses that teach students how to effectively convey complex medical knowledge to the general public and how to engage with patients in a warm and genuine manner.

The gynecologist has been invited to travel around and spread knowledge on women's health. In his eyes, women's physical and mental wellbeing not only affects their own lives but also contributes to family harmony, human reproduction and social progress.

"It is women who should take the lead in taking responsibility for their health," Tan says.