Such a dream may appear difficult to achieve, but Dr. Tze believes he has found a way.

A pediatric endocrinologist, diabetologist and researcher by profession, Dr. Tze has focused mainly on children's and women's health for the last 16 years. He is the founder and President of two non-profit organizations, both based in Vancouver, British Columbia (BC), and a professor at the University of British Columbia (UBC).

Tze took his first step towards realizing his dream in 1987. He created the Canada China Child Health Foundation (CCCHF), to link Canadian medical know-how and hospitals with Chinese ones. "The idea is," said Tze, "I help kids, foster understanding and try to increase the quality of care for children while bringing the technological advances of Canada to China."

Currently, twelve Canadian hospitals are twinned with Chinese counterparts, sharing ideas, experience, technology and even health workers with each other. Dr. Tze, although now a Canadian citizen, maintains strong ties with his homeland and regularly visits China to oversee his projects.

"It was evident from the moment of our formation that institutional linkages would be an effective mechanism to extend the work of the foundation," said Dr. Bill Cochrane, a founding member of CCCHF and a pediatrician based in Calgary, Alberta.

Yet, the international cooperation does not end with institutional linkages. CCCHF has established a pediatric research center and several maternal health centers in poorer regions of China, as well as donating essential medical equipment to needy hospitals. The Foundation also sponsored a series of conferences and workshops in China on subjects such as outpatient care, breastfeeding and hospital administration.

Realizing the success of Dr. Tze's organization, the Canadian government and James Grant, former head of the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) suggested he take a more international approach. The result was the Global Child Health Society, founded in 1992.

The Global Child Health Society has four components. They publish the Global Child Health News and Review, a quarterly paper established in 1993 focusing on maternal and child health. James Grant, writing for the inaugural issue of the paper stated, "Global Child Health News is especially welcome because it will help bridge the communication gap and shorten the lag-time between health research and its application in order to save and improve children's lives."

The Global Child Health News and Review is also posted on the web through 'Global ChildNet', the Society's internet-based information service, facilitating direct access to information on child health related issues. Dr. Tze believes, "We are probably one of the first healthcare organizations in the whole world to work through the Internet."

To further enhance their information providing services, 'Global Child Health Productions' was created to produce a series of informative videotapes. These tapes showcase a number of international child health leaders partaking in roundtable discussions and individual interviews.

Perhaps the most widely publicized of all Global Child's efforts was the Child Health 2000 World Congress and Exposition. First held in Vancouver in 1992, the Congress united over 3000 child healthcare specialists from around the globe. Principal topics of discussion included emerging and resurgent infectious diseases, tobacco and health, alternative and complementary medicine, and the information superhighway and telemedicine.

Dr. Tze believes that the international and interdisciplinary approach taken by the Congress was the best way to address the issues and problems facing children. According to the Global Child Health News and Review, 93% of participants in 1992 rated the Congress 'very good' to 'excellent', and 94% of participants indicated they would return for a second congress.

And return they certainly did, in 1995, when the second highly successful Congress was held. With such a positive record from his Congresses, Dr. Tze is optimistic that the third Congress planned for 2003 will be equally as successful.

Dr. Tze hopes that through his organizations, people around the world will have greater access to healthcare information. He passionately believes that everyone everywhere should have affordable access to healthcare and disease prevention.

"That is why I am in this field," he explained. "Everybody should take a role to look after their own health. Not only during sickness, but when they are well. People need to know how to stay well."

Tze also stresses that people should consider complementary forms of medicine, rather than sticking blindly to Western methods. As founder and Honorary President of the Tzu Chi Institute for Complementary and Alternative Medicine in Vancouver, Dr. Tze advocates the benefits of traditional and alternative medicines.

It would thus appear that Dr. Tze is well en route to realizing his dream. With two organizations promoting and elevating awareness of child healthcare around the world, and an institute for complementary medicine expanding medicinal horizons, it is a challenge to think of anything more that one man could possibly do. Indeed, although Dr. Tze is an extremely busy man, he only need remind himself of the many children around the world he has helped, to realize that all the hours of hard work are worth it.