The health of a family depends greatly upon the health of the mother. As one of only a few free clinics in our city, Catherine's Health Center has developed the "Wise Women" program to ensure our community's families stay strong and healthy.
Free clinics are a safety net for the uninsured men, women and children in our city. These organizations provide primary care, prescription assistance, patient education, social services and in some cases, they are even able to offer specialty programs like optometry and dental assistance. They are the only means of access to health care for so many in our community. In fact, Catherine's Health Center has seen an explosion in patients since they moved to their new location at the corner of Leonard and Lafayette earlier this year. Once alleviating the aches and chronic pains of nearly 5,000 people a year, they now expect to triple that number due to their own growth and the increase in the unemployed and uninsured.
The "Wise Women" program seeks to intervene and prevent health hazards from impacting a family by focusing on women and the health issues that arise. Participants undergo a baseline screening that includes, among others, body mass index, height/weight and blood pressure. Patients are then given a personal plan to alleviate any potential risks such as smoking and cervical and breast cancer and help with nutrition and fitness. Follow-up visits are scheduled for support and progress.
It was last month that participants were invited to a grilling party in the parking lot of the health center to demonstrate how healthy foods can be prepared to provide proper nutrition to families. The program also invited them to a spa night, so the ladies had an evening to themselves with time to re-energize and alleviate some stress in order to be the best they can be for their children.
Catherine's Health Center is going beyond primary care for our community. Although they have five employees, the work they do couldn't be done without the hundreds of volunteers who staff the complex and provide the health and education to an under-served population. No federal funding is available for free clinics, so they rely solely on generous donations from individuals and grant funders. Catherine's Health Center is a gem in our community and one that is growing due to the good things they do.
So here's how you can be a do-gooder…
• Volunteer. They need at least 150 more of you. Call (616) 336-8800 ext. 207 to help
Source: Janet Zahn, Catherine's Health Care
Writer: Jennifer Wilson, Do Good Editor
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