Dr. Thomas Chiang was born on February 28, 1907, in Yixing, a city near Shanghai, in China. By age 14, he had lost both his parents, and he and his brothers were supported by Christian missionaries.

In 1937, he earned his M.D. at the National Medical College, an American medical school in Shanghai. In 1944, he earned a post-graduate degree in tropical medicine after studying for a year in India on a Fellowship.

When Japan invaded eastern China during the Second Sino-Japanese War (1937-1945), Dr. Chiang was recruited by the Ministry of Health in the Nationalist government. He set up field hospitals and was put in charge of public health of civilians. He was promoted to the position of Deputy Health Minister. Following Japan's surrender in 1945, a civil war between the communists and the nationalists broke out. In 1948, Dr. Chiang left China for New York to act as China's representative at the World Health Organization (WHO). While there he learned of the communist victory and decided to head to Canada. Canada, however, did not recognize his medical degree. As a result, Dr. Chiang had to complete an additional two years of study at the University of Toronto and received his Master's Degree in Public Health Science.

A photograph of Thomas Chiang and his wife Sarah, taken at their wedding in Nanjing, China. The two were married while Thomas was still in medical school, probably in 1932.
Thomas wrote on the photo: Birds of Happiness, Flying over Nanjing.

Dr. Chiang with family members on his 40th birthday.

Photo taken in Whitehorse, NWT. Thomas had written, “After the christening of my godson. He had been saved by me under extreme difficulties. The child is now four years old. This photo was taken in front of their house.”

Dr. Chiang with family members in Ohsweken, Ontario, in 1958. They are wearing qipao that they brought with them from China.
(L-R): son David, daughter Ming, wife Sarah, Dr. Chiang, daughter Ella, and daughter Beryl.

Members of the Chiang family posing in front of their new Ford automobile before church, summer of 1959. Photo taken in Ohsweken, Ontario.
(L to R): daughters Ella and Cora, son David, daughter Ming, wife Sarah, Dr. Thomas Chiang

Front row: daughters Ella and Ming
Back row: son David, Dr. Thomas Chiang, wife Sarah, and daughter Cora

Dr. Chiang and wife Sarah on Sarah's 61st birthday.

Dr. Thomas Chiang and wife Sarah at Niagara Falls in 1970.

Dr. Chiang (L) and two unidentified men standing in front of the Inuit hospital where Dr. Chiang was working in Whitehorse, Northwest Territories. Photo taken sometime in early 1950s.

A photograph of Lady Willingdon Hospital in Ohsweken, Ontario, where Dr. Chiang worked from 1958 until the hospital closed in the late 60s.

This photo depicts Dr. Chiang (R) and an unidentified man, both wearing feather headdresses. These headdresses were probably gifted to them by the Six Nations in recognition of services.

After receiving his Masters, Dr. Chiang went to work for the federal government in Indigenous communities, including Whitehorse, Northwest Territories among the Inuit; Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan; and Moose Factory, Ontario. He finally landed a position at Lady Willingdon Hospital in Ohsweken in 1957; he worked there until it closed in 1968.

Also in 1957, Dr. Chiang was reunited with his wife, Sarah, and five of their six children after nine long years of separation.

To recognize him for his years of service, the Six Nations awarded the title of honorary chief to Dr. Chiang.