Healthy understandings

"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.