Sangha Health Project

This is a directory of medical volunteers (Purple), regular health event sites (Red), and Buddhist centers (Green).  Sangha members please contact medical volunteers for appointments or simply show up at health event sites near you. Click on top right icon [View larger map] for easy navigation. 

Sangha Health Project (SHP)

Introduction
Having been a member of various Buddhist temples over the years and witnessing many Sangha members struggling with access to medical services, the idea behind this project sprung forth in Sumedha's mind. In the Fall of 2012, while taking a Career Development class as part of the Master in Traditional Chinese Medicine program, Sumedha (now Sayalay Manapika) developed this idea further as part of the class final project and gave an inception presentation. The audience consisted of fellow classmates, the course instructor and a group of friends who came to learn about this project. Afterward, the meeting and mixing of collective seeds of thoughts from Co-founder Talersak (now Bhante Theravamsa) gave rise to the Sangha Health Project. The level of enthusiasm generated around this project since further propelled its vision and objectives into a full reality with various activities in all components of this project taking shape at one point or another. 

In 2019, SHP welcomed Dr. Dat On as the second SHP Coordinator as both Sumedha and Talersak transitioned to take on an advisor role after serving as Co-coordinator for the past seven years.  As Dr. Dat On shifted his focus to personal cultivation, SHP welcomed Dr. Billy Tang as the next SHP Coordinator in 2020. Dr. Tang was later joined by Jani Jessica Argüello and together they served as Co-coordinator until 2024. In 2025, SHP welcomes Dr. Brandon Boon Chee as our current SHP Coordinator. Just like all the preceeding coordinators, Dr. Brandon Chee is very generous, compassionate, skillful and has been a part of SHP for many years. Here is a short SHP video clip in appreciation of all the volunteers, donors and supporters. 

Sangha
Sangha (Pali: saṅgha; Sanskrit: saṃgha) is a word in Pali and Sanskrit meaning "association", "assembly“, "company“, or "community“. Commonly referred in Buddhism to the monastic community of ordained Buddhist monks and nuns.

The Problem:
As we know, many sangha do not have health insurance and their access to medical services is sporadic and often times non-existence. Many Buddhist organizations have attempted to address this problem and the solutions have been one of the followings:

* One or few devotees who have medical skills serve as the temple monastic medical doctor.
* Large temples have access to their own medical network that they have established.

The issues that remain
*  Many temple medical volunteers might not have the time or scope of knowledge to address all medical conditions.
* Many temples lack the funds to pay for monastic medical services.
* Small temples do not have an established medical network access.
* Established temple medical networks usually serve only a particular sangha community.
* Traveling monastic members often have great difficulty accessing medical services.
* Non-temple affiliated monastic members face similar challenges.

Vision
To build a network of medical practitioners (both eastern and western) to provide free medical services to the sangha communities.

Missions
* Create a directory of medical volunteers: doctors, health professionals, and staff.
* Coordinate health events where group of volunteers come together to provide regular services at local centers.
* Donate needed medical supplies to the Sangha communities.
* Establish a Nutritional Dana Program where healthy foods are donated and similarly recommended to donors. 

Funds
All the Sangha Health Project activities have been generously supported by the SHP and BHMC members, healthcare professionals and donors. On occasions where funds are needed, Project announcement will be posted and members and friends are welcome to make contributions.  Project will stop accepting donations once estimated expenses are met. A Donor List is then compiled with redacted amount and in the order of donation received; the Donor List will then be shared in the project summary.

Contact
Medical practitioners who are interested in joining the Sangha Health Project or for any inquiry, please contact Project Coordinator:
Dr. Brandon Chee |  (818) 357-9788 | cbkok97@yahoo.com

May you be well, happy and peaceful!