Kaohsiung Municipal Cijin Hospital
(Operated by Kaohsiung Medical University under commission)

The October sea breeze gently sweeps through the streets and alleys of Cijin, also stirring the figures who have long given their efforts quietly. Not protagonists under the spotlight, yet the most gentle and steadfast presence between the hospital and the community. In ROC Year 114 (2025), the volunteer team of Kaohsiung Municipal Cijin Hospital was honored with the “National Outstanding Volunteer Team Award” from the Ministry of Health and Welfare, standing out among numerous volunteer groups nationwide and becoming one of only 25 award-winning teams. This honor writes a moving page in the history of social service on the island.

This award is regarded as one of the highest recognitions in the field of volunteer service. It is not merely an acknowledgment of accumulated service hours, but a comprehensive evaluation of a volunteer team’s philosophy, capacity for action, and social impact. Being selected signifies that what the Cijin Hospital Volunteer Team has upheld over the years is not simply “doing it for a long time,” but “doing it deeply and going far.”

In Cijin, healthcare has never been confined to clinics and hospital wards alone. The Cijin Hospital Volunteer Team has extended the radius of its service from within the hospital building to alleys, communities, and long-term care sites. Guidance beside the registration counter, companionship in hospital wards, greetings during meal deliveries for long-term care, and assistance at community screening sites—these seemingly ordinary moments weave together the most stable and reassuring connection between Cijin residents and Cijin Hospital.

The actions of the volunteer team demonstrate the characteristics of “friendliness, innovation, and active aging,” and put into practice the spirit of “not a formal contribution, but truly entering people’s lives.” For older adults, the volunteers are familiar and reassuring companions; for medical staff, they are indispensable support; for the community, they are a warm force that makes people feel cared for and understood.

Within the team, every volunteer interprets the meaning of “service” in their own way. Some have long devoted themselves to the operation of neighborhood long-term care stations, connecting social resources; some use their cameras to document the daily life of the hospital and the community, allowing stories to be seen; some deliver meals and conduct care visits regardless of wind or rain, safeguarding the rhythm of older adults’ lives; others inject culture and vitality into health care through tai chi, dance, handicrafts, and art. Their names may differ, but what they all point to is the same deep affection for the land of Cijin.

This island embraced by the sea, because of this group of volunteers, has transformed “whole-person care” from a policy term into a daily reality that can be felt. Just like the Cijin Lighthouse, they are not loud or showy, yet at critical moments, they guide people in the right direction.

Receiving recognition is a milestone, but not the endpoint. Looking ahead, the Cijin Hospital Volunteer Team will continue moving toward the vision of “safeguarding the health of generations in Cijin and becoming a benchmark community hospital for whole-person care,” allowing the power of volunteer service to be closely interwoven with medical care, long-term care, and the community, and to continue illuminating every corner of Cijin where care is needed.

Amid the sea breeze, this warm and heartfelt force will continue quietly.

Cijin Hospital Volunteer Team Honored with the “Outstanding Volunteer Team Award” from the Ministry of Health and Welfare

Group Photo of the Cijin Hospital Volunteer Service Team

Photos of Volunteer Services at Cijin Hospital