Physicians, nurses and other medical professionals are needed for volunteer roles at Healing Hands Ministries, a new charity clinic serving the Lake Highlands area.
Wilshire is among the founding supporters of this new ministry, which recently opened in space on Skillman, just south of Church Road.
Healing Hands was born in the heart of Janna Gardner, a registered nurse, while employed at Stults Road Elementary School. She saw that a large number of students, children of the working poor, were not able to access basic medical and dental services.
In the Lake Highlands area, 60 percent of students are eligible for free or reduced-fee lunches—a reliable predictor of poverty. The nearest clinic for the underinsured is the Parkland neighborhood clinic in Meadows, where long waits often result in children and adults ending up going to Presbyterian Hospital’s Emergency Room to treat what may be minor illnesses.
Already, much of the needed equipment and supplies have been donated by physicians’ offices, hospitals and local churches. Five churches have offered monthly support, and several organizations and service clubs have made donations. Lab Corp. has offered to do free blood testing.
Healing Hands Ministries is a Project Access enrollment site, which enables referral to numerous specialists who have agreed to see some indigent patients on a limited basis at no charge.
The most urgent need is physician volunteers to see patients—children and adults—during clinic hours, which are 6 to 9 p.m. every other Thursday. Patients are pre-selected, screened and scheduled for appointments during hours. The goal is preventive care, well exams, and educational clinics.
Physicians of any specialty may be used, particularly family physicians, pediatricians, gynecologists and internists. Volunteers are not required to participate in every clinic, but could serve on a rotation basis.
Also needed are nurses, nurse practitioners, social workers, dietitians, diabetic educators, physical therapists, respiratory therapists, and general volunteers for clerical work and hosting patients.
Another important need is drug samples. Out-of-date samples that might otherwise be discarded are good for five years or longer beyond their expiration date.
Phase two of the clinic’s opening will expand services to include dental. Services to be offered include routine exams, fillings and prophylaxis. Dentists, oral surgeons and dental hygienists will be needed during these same hours of operation.
If you feel inclined to help in this ministry in any of these capacities, please call (214) 348-2443 or e-mail
Nelson Forsyth.
(214) 452-3100