10A = THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
BODY AND SOUL
MONDAY,APRIL21,2003
Body and Soul
Free church clinic heals those in need
Story by Megan Hickerson
Photos by Brandon Baker
With her pink dress and long hair, Annu Christopher looks like any other 8-year-old with a sore throat waiting for medical attention. But because her mother, Jeanne Christopher, has no health insurance, a traditional doctor's office is out of the question.
Everyone needs medical care, but more than 38.7 million Americans can't afford to pay for it. Heartland Medical Outreach gives medical attention to anyone without medical insurance. The Heartland Medical Outreach is only open 11 hours a week, but they treat an average of 40 people.
"They have groceries and sandwiches here at the clinic," Jeanne Christopher said. "You can't get this anywhere else, even if you do have health insurance."
As they walked into the Heartland Medical Outreach, 619 Vermont St., the Christophers were treated like any other medical patients—and they didn't have to pay for the visit.
Dr. Paul Kurth explains to Anna Christopher, 8,and her mother, Jeanne Christopher, both of Lawrence, how often Anna should take the medicine he has prescribed. Heartland Medical Outreach provided the medication for strep throat and Anna's check-up for free.
Until the clinic opened in 1999 there was no place for uninsured Lawrence residents to turn for completely free medical care.
Healthcare Access, another medical clinic in Lawrence, requires patients to be residents of Douglas County and charges them based on their income. Heartland Medical Outreach accepts uninsured patients, regardless where they live or their economic status and welcomes them into their make-shift office.
The clinic is housed in the Sunday school rooms in the Heartland Community Church. Any Berthold, clinic director at Heartland, transforms the Sunday school rooms into a doctor's office every Monday morning and then turns the rooms back into a place of worship on Thursday
Chalk boards and puppet theaters line the walls of the medical examining rooms. It's not unusual to find a stethoscope lying on a Mickey Mouse chair.
Watch KUJH tonight for more on Heartland Medical Outreach.
Dr. Gillian Stephens does a check-up of David Sears, Lawrence resident. Stephens has been diagnosed with pulmonary hypertension and works at Heartland Medical Outreach to give back to the community.
afternoons. Perhaps the books and toys put patients like Anna Christopher at ease while Dr. Paul Kurth examines them.
Dr. Gillian Stephens, volunteer at the clinic, said she doesn't think that the clinic's unusual setting brothers the patients. Although she admits that the clinic doesn't have fancy furniture and lovely decor, the clinic is complete with most medical necessities.
"Patients come in and see medicines and stethoscopes, and it's clean," Stephens said. "For the most part, I think that they are just thrilled to be seen by someone, and they are so happy to have bodies to talk to."
Dr. Dennis Sale examines a tick bite on the neck of Donna Carr, Lawrence resident. Sale started the Heartland Medical Outreach, 619 Vermont St., in October 1998 and divides his time working there and Promptcare, 3511 Clinton Parkway
Bill and Virginia Davis of Baldwin City are senior citizens who have been patients since the clinic opened in October 1999. Bill's high blood pressure and Virginia's heart condition keep them coming back for treatments.
"We've never had any health insurance," Virginia Davis said. "Before the clinic opened, we just did without medical attention."
The Davises have even received medical attention while the clinic was not open.
"When Bill passed out one time, we called Pat Mayo at home," Virginia Davis said, referring to the parish nurse at Heartland. "Pat even came to visit Bill in the hospital. I give the clinic an A plus plus. We'll probably come here forever."
"We've never had any health insurance. Before the clinic opened, we just did without medical attention."
Virginia Davis Clinic patient
Dr. Gillian Stephens listens to Al Tebben, Lawrence resident, explain his alimenties associated with high blood pressure. They are wonderful doctors to commit to the community like this," Tebben said about why he has been coming to Heartland Medical Outreach, 619 Vermont St., for two years.
The clinic has one parish nurse who is funded by private grants, one clinic director, 11 medically-trained volunteers and 11 nonmedically trained volunteers. Each week, they provide the Lawrence community with $6,000 to $8,000 of free health care services and medicines.
Sale ran a free clinic in Manteca, Calif., before he moved to Lawrence. The clinic was housed in an RV, and the volunteers would drive to 14 sites where homeless people would often congregate.
"Seventeen percent of the residents in Douglas County are without health insurance," he said. Gray doesn't mind housing a medical clinic in his church.
Paul Gray, pastor at the Heartland Community Church, saw the growing need for a free clinic like this in Lawrence.
"I didn't ask the members of the congregation. We just did it," Gray said. "The members are so helpful — they donate money and canned food each week for the clinic."
More than half of the clinic's patients are working-class people without health insurance. Stephen Leiker from Kansas City, Mo., is one of them. Leiker fell off his bike three weeks ago and broke his hand.
"We moved to Lawrence because my wife's parents live here," Sale said. "We wanted our son to live near his grandparents, and God led us to Heartland."
Mayo said that, because of the free clinic's religious setting, the volunteers had more freedom to pray for the patients rather than just administer medications.
"Because I don't have insurance, I went to the free clinic to get my hand checked out," Leiker said.
Parish nurse Mayo, Pastor Gray and Dr. Dennis Sale opened the clinic almost four years ago.
Because of limited funding, the clinic doesn't have an X-ray machine. Private and church donations and private grants keep the clinic running. Leiker got a waiver for a free X-ray at Lawrence Memorial Hospital. Heartland Medical Outreach has arrangements with outside doctors to provide care for patients who need special treatments. Pat Mayo, the parish nurse at the clinic, spends time contacting
outside doctors and facilities that can provide medical assistance to Heartland's patients. Outside doctors provide patients with two or three free treatments a year.
Some patients who come to the clinic lost their health insurance along with their jobs. Nina Cobb, Lawrence resident, started going to the clinic when her husband lost his job with Worldcom in December. Along with his job, the family also lost their heath insurance. Cobb has been treated at Heartland and she has taken her youngest son to the clinic several times.
Stephens has a personal connection with her patients and seems to put herself on the same level as the patients. Stephens has pulmonary hypertension, a condition in which blood vessels constrict in the lungs so she doesn't get enough oxygen.
"They sometimes get abused, and they are not very trusting." Mayo said. "They are a bit leery and they question why we are offering something like this for free."
Dr. Gillian Stephens sees a wide range of patients at the clinic.Having been a medical volunteer since January, she recognizes the strong need for a free clinic in a community like Lawrence.She said that homeless people were the most challenging patients.
"Everybody is really friendly," Cobb said. "They don't downgrade you and ask a bunch of questions. It's a comfortable environment."
Mayo agreed that homeless people are usually the most difficult patients to treat.
"I think that the fact that I'm on oxygen 24/7 puts people at ease," Stephens said. "They realize that I'm human, and we all have illnesses. Some patients come in and think that I'm a smoker — it's a good conversation opener."
"They can't go to a regular doctor's office because they don't have an address — so where do they send the bill?" Stephens said.
Although Stephens is still paying off medical school bills — she graduated from KU Medical Center in 1999 — she donates her time twice a week as a part-time volunteer at the clinic.
Because the clinic receives no state or national funding, it doesn't have enough money for all of
UNINSURED IN AMERICA
Heartland Medical Outreach provides medical attention to individuals in Lawrence without health insurance. Over 38.7 million people in this country cannot afford health insurance.
Percent of American population uninsured by race
the medical equipment that it needs to fully serve the public. Pastor Paul Gray would like to see the clinic grow in the next five to 10 years.
"God has a plan for all of us," Kurth said. "In the end, he will put us in our place, and he will be just and fair for all of us — even the homeless. I've learned here that regardless of one's personal finances, whether they're homeless or working poor, everyone has an incredible amount of dignity and self-worth."
"I'd like to see the clinic as a separate building." Gray said. "We need at least six beds for patients to stay overnight. We also really need X-ray equipment and blood sugar testing equipment."
Edited by Anne Mantey
Dr. Paul Kurth has volunteered at the clinic since November 2001, and he and his family attend Heartland Community Church. He said working at the clinic provides a strong example of community service for his sons. He hopes the clinic will eventually become full-service with a laboratory and trained technicians.
Stephen Leiker's injuries to his hand and lip are healing after an accident on his bike. Leiker, of Kansas City, Mo., visited Heartland Medical Outreach because he had no health insurance and a wanted to make sure his injuries weren't too serious.
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