Lu Shengmei was born in Beijing in 1944. In 1968, after she graduated from Beijing Second Medical College (predecessor of Capital Medical University), she chose to work in Jiaxian County, in Yulin, a city in northwest China's Shaanxi Province. It was a remote, impoverished area, and the living and healthcare conditions were poor. Before she left Beijing, her teacher told her, "Your job is to cure the sickness, and to treat the patients." Lu made — and fulfilled — that her mission throughout her life. 

Undeterred Devotion

One winter morning, in 1968, Lu walked into Jiaxian People's Hospital. She had majored in pediatrics, but people in Jiaxian had no notion of medical specialties at that time. The only thing the residents knew was Lu was a doctor from Beijing, so they expected she could advise on and treat any disease. To meet patients' needs, Lu used her spare time to study other specialties, including acupuncture, internal medicine, dermatology, and gynecology and obstetrics. She was determined to become a competent general practitioner, not just a pediatrician, so she could help more people. 

One memorable house-call made Lu determined to stay in Jiaxian. One day, she made a house call to check on an expectant mother. When she arrived, Lu saw the woman had given birth. The woman's relatives were using a pair of household scissors to cut the umbilical cord. Lu was shocked, and she insisted they stop and let her take over. Lu used her sanitized medical apparatus to cut the cord, and then explained to the others that using dirty scissors could have caused neonatal tetanus, which could have resulted in the baby's death. After that house call, Lu was determined to promote medical knowledge and change the backward healthcare conditions in Jiaxian. 

In May 1969, Lu submitted an application letter to join the Communist Party of China (CPC), in which she wrote, "I will work for the Party for 50 years, and I will serve the people of Jiaxian for 50 years." In 1984, she became a CPC member. 

In 1983, Lu established the hospital's pediatrics department. She made it a rule that doctors should help patients save money on their treatment costs. Lu always prescribed inexpensive, but effective, medications. Lu has helped train more than 50 doctors in the hospital throughout the years, and she has happily witnessed improvements in living conditions and medical services in Jiaxian in recent decades. 

Lu received many tempting job offers, from renowned medical institutions, throughout the years. She also had opportunities to transfer back to Beijing. She declined all offers, because she wanted to stay in the region and treat the people with whom she had become attached.

Lifetime of Service

In 1999, Lu retired as the hospital's deputy director. But her sense of responsibility wouldn't allow her to stop treating patients. She firmly believed, "as a CPC member, there is no retirement age for working for the Party, and a doctor should never stop attending to patients." Instead of relaxing in her twilight years, she offered free clinics — every Monday, Wednesday and Friday — at the hospital. She also patiently treated patients who showed up at her home. Many patients knew her address and phone number, and Lu could never turn anyone away. She said she felt happy to be trusted. Lu also established a group of volunteers, composed of seniors, to help residents solve difficulties in their lives. Inspired by Lu, many of the residents have joined the group. 

By 2018, Lu had fulfilled her 50-year promise to help Jiaxian's residents improve their health. But instead of slowing down, she continued to work hard, and she made a new promise, "As long as I live, I will serve the people here." In 2020, Lu, then 76, volunteered to work on the frontline against the COVID-19 epidemic. She wrote in her application letter, "Wherever I'm needed, I'll rush to the 'battlefield' fearlessly. I'll try my best to fulfill my duty (as a doctor)." 

During the 20-plus years since her retirement, Lu has provided more than 100,000 voluntary consultations to patients, living up to her promise of a lifetime of service. "I'm just like a kite; wherever I go, if a patient pulls the string, I will go back to them," she said. 

Given her outstanding achievements, the All-China Women's Federation named Lu a National March 8th Red-Banner Holder in February 2021, and a National March 8th Red-Banner Pacesetter and one of the Most Beautiful Women Strivers in March 2022. In June 2021, as the Party was about to celebrate its centenary, the CPC Central Committee named Lu a National Outstanding Party Member. 

This year, on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, Lu received the national honorary title of People's Health Worker. She said, "Receiving this title inspires me to work harder to serve the people, and to protect their health. As long as the people need me, there will be no end to my services."

Photos from Interviewee

(Women of China English Monthly October 2024)

Editor: Wang Shasha