Buddhism defines compassion as the sincere wish to alleviate the suffering of another. This desire to alleviate another's pain includes not only their present experience of discomfort but also the cause of their suffering, the underlying reasons they are not well. This kind of genuine desire to make others feel better and not suffer is what compassion is all about.
— Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche, Medicine and Compassion by Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche, David R. Shlim