Lu Jiade: Building Another Proton and Heavy Ion Center in Southern China

In Beijiao, Foshan, the banks of the Tanzhou River are brimming with enthusiasm. Not long ago, the single building project for the first proton and heavy ion center in Southern China, located at HeYou Hospital, just topped out. Standing in front of the building, Lu Jiade saw not only a new milestone in his career but also a new high ground for cancer treatment in China rising.

As the Vice President of HeYou Hospital and Director of the Comprehensive Cancer Center and Proton and Heavy Ion Center, Lu Jiade has been in Beijiao for over a year. Previously, he studied and practiced in the United States for a long time, served as an expert at the National University of Singapore's Medical School and Cancer Centre, and after returning to China, he served as the Executive Vice President of Shanghai Proton and Heavy Ion Hospital, a Professor of Clinical Oncology at Fudan University, and the Chief Scientist of a key R&D project of the Ministry of Science and Technology.

What attracted Lu Jiade to "set sail again" from Shanghai to the small town of Beijiao after achieving great success? What does the rise of the HeYou Proton and Heavy Ion Center mean for the development of quality healthcare in Southern China, and even in China and Asia?

Rendering of the HeYou Hospital Proton and Heavy Ion Center.

Following He Xiangjian's Vision

"The HeYou Proton and Heavy Ion Center has introduced Hitachi's equipment, configured with a proton rotating gantry and multi-angle heavy ion treatment equipment. In terms of radiation type and treatment incident angle, it will be a globally top-tier technical configuration for the next 5 to 10 years." said Lu Jiade. A few days before the topping-out ceremony on May 27, Lu Jiade, together with Midea founder He Xiangjian and others, visited Japan to inspect Hitachi's equipment manufacturing progress and similar local institutions, which further boosted his confidence.

Proton and heavy ion therapy is considered the world's most advanced radiation oncology technology. Compared to conventional radiotherapy, it is known as a "cancer-fighting weapon" due to its advantages such as mild side effects, a wide range of indications, and high tumor control rates. Lu Jiade believes that proton and heavy ion therapy is a tremendous boon for many cancer patients.

The total budget for the HeYou Proton and Heavy Ion Center exceeds RMB 2 billion. Once completed, it is expected to become the second medical institution in China and the first in Southern China to possess both radiotherapy technologies. Clinical trials are anticipated to commence in 2026.

On March 1 last year, Lu Jiade came alone from Shanghai to Beijiao, officially embarking on a new chapter in his life. This story is not accidental. Although he had to be temporarily separated from his family, the convenient transportation between Shanghai and Guangdong made this a non-issue. The names of Beijiao enterprises like Midea were already familiar to him. Moreover, Lu Jiade discovered that the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, like Shanghai, is one of the most active regions for the development of oncology treatment in China and Asia.

Less known is that He Xiangjian made multiple trips to Shanghai to inspect and personally invited Lu Jiade to join HeYou for the construction of the proton and heavy ion center. "After in-depth discussions, I found Mr. He's vision of funding a non-profit high-level hospital to be very noble, and I was willing to follow his vision," said Lu Jiade. Although Beijiao, where HeYou is located, is just a small town, healthcare is a great cause serving human health. This cause has nothing to do with the size of the place; it is great wherever it is.

From the World to Beijiao

Choosing to build the HeYou Proton and Heavy Ion Center in Beijiao was consistent with Lu Jiade's vision and considerations when he decided to return to China years ago.

Lu Jiade was born into a scholarly family in Shanghai. His father was among the first generation of Chinese students to study in the United States after the reform and opening up. After completing his undergraduate studies and earning his medical doctorate in the U.S., Lu Jiade worked as a radiation oncology resident there. Due to his interest in diseases common among Chinese people, such as nasopharyngeal carcinoma, Lu Jiade moved to Singapore and worked at the National University Hospital and Medical School of Singapore. After more than a decade in Singapore, Lu Jiade had the opportunity to work long-term in Shanghai—participating in the construction of the world's third and China's first proton and heavy ion hospital. However, the income was far lower than in Singapore. Would he take it?

"My hometown had the most advanced equipment, and I had the experience and ability. I felt obligated to return and help my hometown make good use of the equipment; otherwise, I couldn't get past that hurdle in my heart," Lu Jiade said.

On February 14, 2014, a date Lu Jiade remembers clearly, he took up the full-time position of Executive Vice President of Shanghai Proton and Heavy Ion Hospital, primarily responsible for the hospital's clinical work. On May 8, 2015, Shanghai Proton and Heavy Ion Hospital officially opened. As of May 8, 2023, the hospital had treated and discharged a cumulative total of 5,648 patients, with an average annual growth rate of 20%. In 2022 alone, the hospital's annual treatment volume once again exceeded the 1,000-case mark, reaching 1,025 cases, ranking first among similar proton and heavy ion radiotherapy institutions globally.

Lu Jiade personally received the Shanghai Magnolia Silver Honor Award and was named an "Outstanding Academic/Technical Leader" by the Shanghai Science and Technology Commission. From proactively joining patient WeChat groups to answer questions anytime, to exploring and establishing a complete prevention and control mechanism during the pandemic, Lu Jiade always approaches his work with tireless dedication.

Despite his tremendous success in Shanghai, Lu Jiade believes it is far from enough. "The number and types of treatments at each platform cannot increase indefinitely. As the development of the Shanghai institution enters a plateau phase, to serve more patients and more types of diseases, China and even Asia need to establish multiple proton and heavy ion treatment centers," he said. On a personal level, he also hopes to leverage his existing experience on a broader scale.

"Five Years of Sharpening a Sword"

"Many of my colleagues in the U.S. and Singapore wanted such equipment but lacked the opportunity. I am fortunate to have participated in the construction of China's first and second proton and heavy ion centers. This is a great undertaking and a huge responsibility," Lu Jiade felt a profound sense of mission.

From the topping-out to its completion and the start of clinical trials in 2026, the HeYou Proton and Heavy Ion Center still has a long journey ahead. However, thanks to the experience of top experts like Lu Jiade, this construction speed is already very fast by international standards. Shanghai Proton and Heavy Ion Hospital began preparations in the 1990s, officially launched in 2003, and started clinical trials in 2014—a process aptly described as "ten years of sharpening a sword." HeYou Hospital broke ground at the end of 2020, with the proton and heavy ion center starting construction in May 2022. It is expected to take about five years to complete.

These are just numbers—ten years, five years—but the challenges overcome are beyond imagination. Due to the enormous size of proton and heavy ion equipment, all components must be manufactured separately, then transported to the site for assembly and commissioning. The rotating accelerator has a diameter of 18 meters, and the precision error for particles traveling from one end to the other must be controlled within a few tenths of a millimeter. Additionally, radiation protection standards are extremely strict, greatly increasing the difficulty of construction.

More challenging than hardware construction is talent development. "Equipment is the foundation, but what is more important is the expert team that can skillfully use the equipment to benefit patients," said Lu Jiade. Having earned an EMBA degree in Singapore, he strongly identifies with HeYou's international and modern management culture.

A complete proton and heavy ion treatment team includes not only physicians but also physicists, therapists, as well as nursing and administrative teams. Since last April, HeYou has been recruiting overseas talent globally, focusing on attracting international hospital professionals. Currently, the leaders of the medical expert, physics expert, and therapist teams for the HeYou Proton and Heavy Ion Center have been gradually confirmed and are in place, with key team members being recruited. Lu Jiade revealed that the resumes received so far come from all over the world, including the United States and Japan.

■Notes

Let Cutting-Edge Technology Benefit More Patients

Text by Lu Jiade

The essence of healthcare lies in returning to the true nature of saving lives and humanistic care. Everyone needs and deserves better, higher quality medical services. This is the direction that quality healthcare pursues, and it is also the direction HeYou strives for. The construction of the Proton and Heavy Ion Treatment Center is a manifestation of quality healthcare.

In terms of medical technology, quality healthcare means safer, more advanced, and more cutting-edge medical technology. By introducing globally advanced, cutting-edge proton and heavy ion medical equipment, with a core team of elite medical professionals and adhering to international quality and safety standards, HeYou enables precise treatment for more "complex and difficult diseases."

In terms of medical services, quality healthcare means being patient-centered and continuously optimizing the patient experience. Including the Proton and Heavy Ion Center, HeYou pursues comfort and humanization in medical care, allowing patients to seek medical treatment with dignity, and providing patients with high-quality, excellent, and warm health and medical services that meet their needs throughout the life cycle.

In the future, the HeYou Proton and Heavy Ion Center will benchmark against top-tier domestic and international standards, actively cooperate with world-class enterprises, institutions, and teams, and ensure that it meets world-class standards in medical quality, patient environment, talent pipeline, intelligence level, and patient experience, truly benefiting patients.